Your roof is your primary shield against the elements, so it needs regular maintenance and Roof Repair. Without a properly maintained roof, your home is susceptible to leaks and other problems caused by falling trees, flying insects, or winter snow. In addition, your roof could be a victim of fire damage or high winds. If any of these situations happen, you should call a roofing contractor for help right away.
Shingles are essential to your roof’s protection against water and storm damage. They also insulate your home, hold down your energy bills, and improve its appearance. If your shingles are damaged, fixing them quickly is important to prevent interior water leaks. You can remove the damaged shingles, replace them with new ones, or cover them to prevent further damage.
Regardless of how you fix the shingle, take care to replace the nail on the shingle above it. If you don’t, it may fall off, leaving your roof vulnerable to further wind damage and a potential interior leak. To remove the shingle, slide a flat pry bar carefully under it, running along its edge until the adhesive seal is broken. It’s best to do this in cool weather, when the sealant will be easier to separate.
Damaged flashing can be a major roof risk. It can let moisture seep through the shingles and come into contact with the wood roof deck. This can cause the deck to deteriorate and buckle, which is much more costly and time-consuming to fix. You can usually tell when flashing is damaged by looking for signs of rust or corrosion. If you see these, you will need to repair them immediately before they get worse.
Often, this is a simple matter of applying a small amount of roofing cement over the corroded area. However, if it is more severe, you may need to sand away the corroded metal and replace it with new flashing. Roofers can inspect your roof regularly to spot signs of flashing damage. This will help you to avoid leaks and water damage.
Roof vents are a key part of any ventilation system because they allow hot air to escape and cool air to enter your home. They also help prevent mold and mildew from growing inside your home. A leaky roof could be caused by a damaged vent boot or a faulty flashing around your roof’s pipes. Fortunately, replacing this part of your roof is easy and can save you substantial money in the long run.
To replace a damaged vent boot, you need a ladder, some caulk, and a new boot to slide in place. You can do this yourself, though if you have a steeply sloped roof or were recently impacted by a storm, it may be safer to leave the job to a local roofing professional.
Ice dams are a dangerous situation that can cause significant damage to a home’s walls, ceilings, and contents. They are usually formed when a layer of snow on the roof melts and refreezes during the day. Water then pools under the shingles until it leaks into the attic or other parts of the home. This can lead to structural framing decay, metal fastener corrosion and mold growth in the attic and wall surfaces.
Once an ice dam forms, it isn’t easy to get rid of without professional help. This is because breaking it down by hand can create large swaths of ice that are heavy enough to fall off the roof or harm people below. The safest way to remove an ice dam is to use a chemical ice-melt product that will melt the ice and create a tube-like channel through the ice. Then, safely place and position a calcium chloride-filled nylon stocking vertically across the ice dam, with the end of the sock hanging an inch or two over the roof edge.