Few structures play as significant a role both in protecting your family and maintaining your property value as your rooftop. Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against the elements, so keeping it in great shape should be one of your top priorities as a homeowner.
It’s best to let trained roofers handle any repairs or maintenance your home may require. However, it can be helpful to diagnose the problem yourself before calling in a professional roof repair company to ensure you have all the relevant information they need to fix the problem.
Patch Jobs
The smallest leaks and holes may be fixed with a simple patch job, depending on the type of material your rooftop is made from. If you see individual drops of water seeping through your ceiling, your contractor might be able to solve the problem with a patch.
In order to determine where your leak is coming from, you’ll need to go into your attic and check for signs of water damage. Stagnant water inside the home can encourage mold growth, which can pose a serious threat to your health. This is one of the most important reasons for staying on top of your house’s repair needs.
If your home doesn’t have an attic, you can climb up a ladder and try to locate the area where the water is leaking into your house. Use extreme caution, and don’t climb any higher than indicated by the warning sign on your ladder.
Repairs
When you climb up to take a look at your rooftop, you may notice several broken, curling, or damaged shingles, rather than just a few. This is an indication that more extensive repairs will be needed. Your shingle coverage is what protects the underlying structures that hold up your roof, so it’s very important that they provide a firm and impenetrable shield.
Another sign that you may require full-service roof repairs is if you notice broken or damaged flashing. Roof flashing is the metallic lining that wraps around your chimney, vents, skylights, and other vulnerable points on your rooftop.
Full Replacement
Many homeowners are understandably leery of the costs associated with a full replacement. However, if your roofing is missing several shingles, its ability to effectively shed water is severely compromised. Considering Virginia receives an average of about 50 inches of precipitation in a year, having sturdy and rain-resistant shingles is well worth the price of installation.
One way to ascertain whether a replacement is necessary without climbing up onto the shingles is to take a look inside your gutters. If you notice they contain lots of shingle granules, that indicates that your shingles have reached the end of their useful life, and need to be fully replaced by your local company.
The Bottom Line
The most important thing to remember is that there’s no replacement for professional roofers when it comes to diagnosing and fixing problems on your house. Are you still in doubt about whether your roofing needs patches, repairs, or a full-on replacement? Hire a professional company rather than trying to address the issues yourself.
