Home & Family, home improvement

That Roof Over Your Head Needs Regular Maintenance!

Roof repair
The man on ladder cleans the gutters on the roof. Spring and autumn problem with leaves in gutter.

When you are asked to picture a home, what comes to your mind? Safety? Security? Warmth? Perhaps all of these? The importance of a home in ones life cannot be overstated. It is the single biggest investment a person makes in his/her lifetime. Owning your own home brings with it a sense of security, pride and above all, stability in life.

One of the feelings a home evokes in you is the Warmth! But can you imagine feeling warm beneath a leaky roof? Our today’s topic is a roof!. “What is there in a roof?” you may ask. Does it merit dedicating a whole blog post on? When we refer to the basic needs of a human being, we say “Roof Over Ones Head”! Not a “Floor Below Ones Feet” or “Four Walls Around One”! Four walls around one on the contrary, evokes negative emotions, as being bound within four walls.

The debate over the importance of a roof being convincingly settled, we will more over to study the subject in detail. As with any investments we make on our homes, a roof needs taking care too. Roofs are in the frontline in facing the vagaries of nature. Rains, wind, sunshine, hailstorm, snow continuously test the perseverance of a roof. An ill-maintained roof can cause much more damages to the house than the cost of its maintenance.

It is quite dangerous to inspect the roof if one is not sufficiently trained in it. One may break the tiles or shingles or injure oneself in the process. A professional roofer can make an objective assessment of the health of a roof and advice the homeowner on the next course of action. Ideally this inspection must be done once in a year.

Some telltale signs of a roof needing repair are – Tiles or shingles broken or missing, discoloration marks indicating some damage caused by extreme weather, presence of mould, mildew, or fungus. In metal roof, the indication of damage is rusting and corrosion, or missing nails.

Leaking Roof
Damaged ceiling from rain water leak

The cost of a leaky roof is heavy. When water seeps through the roof, in gets deposited inside giving rise to mold and fungus. It causes wall paint to peel off. There will be discoloration of walls and roof from inside the house. An early detection of damage and repair will prevent further damages.

Common causes of leaky roof –

  • Broken or missing tiles or shingles
  • Roof flashing missing or damaged – Roof flashing is a membrane of rubber or metal that prevents water seepage through roof holes.
  • Poorly installed skylights – Installing skylights will require drilling roof holes. These holes will then be needed to be sealed off using flashing. When the sealing is compromised, it may cause seepage.
  • Blocked Gutters and roof valleys – Roof valley is the V shaped metal channel on the roof that is meant to drain the water. When some debris or dried leaves block the valley, water can’t easily flow down and builds up over the roof, causing leak.

Roofing is a science that may look modest in the beginning, but when you are faced with a leaky roof, you will understand the importance of a functional roof. It is wise to hire a Trusted Roof Repair Contractor to undertake preventive maintenance than to wake up in the middle of the night to a leaking roof!

A very important part is getting the right dealers of roofing supplies and materials so that you can ensure high quality and a long lasting structure.

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