Prepare Your Roof for the Elements
7 Part Series
What to Do About a Roof Leak
If you haven't inspected your roof in several years, it may be a good time to do it on a sunny day. The telltale signs that you have a roof leak are damp ceilings and walls, discolorations in the inside paint, mold, or standing water. Any water spots, sags, or buckled lines in the ceiling are telltale causes for worry.
First steps in detecting a roof leak include getting out a safe ladder and performing a walk-around inspection on your roof. Simple roofing repairs can be straightforward. During your inspection:
- Check for missing or loose shingles
- Examine for exposed felt material peeking through holes in the metal, tile, wood, or asphalt shingles
- Take a good look for signs of mold, mildew, or rot through any missing shingles, nail holes, or felt underlayment
- Inspect the edges, ridges, corners, dormers, vents, and chimneys for loose flashings or chipped tar coatings
Fixing a Roof Leak Following Your Inspection
The full extent of damage to your roof will determine whether you're facing a small repair, a major project, or an installation of a replacement roof. If a shingle or two are damaged by falling debris, consider removing the debris, cleaning and drying the underlayment, and replacing the roofing tiles, shake, or metal sheeting, as well as any wet felt. You may need to use patches, roof cement, or sealing tape. Metal flashing damage may require repairs with tar, rubber sealants, or silicone. You may also have to repair any damage done to the sub-roof, inside ceiling, walls, or carpet.
Your roof is the front line protecting your home investment. If you need a roof contractor, call one in.
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Tips to Maintain Your Roof
Roofing vs. Reroofing
If you come to find out that your roof has been damaged and needs to be fixed
then there are two main approaches you can take. You can either decide to make a
roof repair or replace the entire roof. Roof repairs will generally save you
time and money, but in most cases a new roof is the best option. As a general
rule of thumb, if the existing roof on is only one layer and there are no
problems with the roof deck, a new roof is not necessary.
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