As a roofing contractor, we have seen roofs in conditions that are less than ideal. Each year, extreme weather can be the source of a lot of the damage that needs repairing. Things like hail, high winds, and ice storms can wreak havoc on your shingles. It often happens that the homeowner doesn’t spot the damage right away and is surprised later with a ceiling leak. However, to avoid long-term adverse effects, it is better to get your repair work done as quickly as possible after the damage occurs.
Looking for Damage
From the ground, it can be hard to tell the exact state of your roof. Many times, when a roof is damaged from the weather, it results in loose shingles or hairline cracks that you won’t notice without a little effort. If you aren’t able to safely get up on your roof and take a look, you may want to hire a roofing contractor to inspect a bout of very severe weather.
Next Steps
If you find damage or the roofing contractor finds damage, you will want to report it to your home insurance policy right away. A roof inspection will provide you with a detailed report that your insurance claim will likely need. Letting your insurance company know right away should protect you should the damage suddenly worsen.
Preventing Damage
The best way to avoid roof damage it to stop it from happening in the first place. While it isn’t possible to prevent all damage from happening, there are a few precautions you can take to minimize it. Make sure that you keep the tree limbs cut back so that they don’t get overhand the roof. Heavy limbs falling can puncture or crush parts of your roofline. Keep the gutters clean and clear of leaves so that water properly runs off your roof and doesn’t overflow and freeze. Check your roof at regular intervals looking for missing shingles. Insulate your attic to keep the heat from escaping through your roof. This is important because an uninsulated roof will allow the heat to melt the snow which can then refreeze into ice.
At Carroll Sons Inc, we also recommend a yearly roof inspection as a preventative measure. A qualified roofing contractor can check for any damaged or missing shingles and point out any trouble spots before they become catastrophic. Call us today to discuss your roofing needs.
