Nailing This Down

Posted on: 1 February 2022

Your home's roof is your first line of defense against the elements. In the summer, it protects you against the sun's scorching heat and damaging UV rays. In the winter, it keeps the snow off your head and the heat comfortably inside. Unfortunately, continuous exposure to the elements and acuate damage from storms can take a toll on even the most well-built roof.

While every roof will eventually wear out and fail, storms can hasten this process and force you to plan repairs or even early replacements. Every storm and roof is unique, but many common problems tend to fall into a handful of familiar categories. If your home has recently gone through a severe weather event, here are three forms of damage you may be facing.

1. Hail Damage

Hail damage is nearly every homeowner's worst nightmare, and it can strike during mild storms. Whether or not your roof suffers damage from a hail storm depends on several factors, however. In addition to hail size, the angle of the impact and the speed also matter. For example, a smaller hailstone may still cause damage when driven by high winds.

Hail hits typically show up randomly across a roof with no discernable pattern. These impacts generally ruin shingles by knocking granules loose and exposing the underlying asphalt and the roofing layers below the shingle. If you suspect your roof has experienced some hail damage, always have a qualified contractor perform a complete roofing inspection to determine the full extent of the problem.

2. Wind Damage

When you think of roofing wind damage, you might picture news videos of roofing dramatically ripping off of structures during severe storms. While this certainly can happen, not every wind-related roofing incident is nearly as noticeable. Depending on the form of damage, you may not notice anything wrong with your roof at all.

Wind can affect your roof in many ways. It may pull shingles loose in some cases without ripping them off entirely. When this happens, the shingles can bend, crease, or crack, weakening them and creating opportunities for more severe damage in the future. An experienced contractor will perform a complete inspection to check for significant issues, even if the roof still looks good.

3. Water Damage

Keeping water out of your house is one of the primary goals of your roof, so rain and melting snow aren't typically a problem. However, unnoticed or unaddressed issues can create gaps where water can enter your roof and cause damage. Water damage of this variety often occurs during severe storms, when the wind drives rain into unusual or vulnerable areas.

You can look for noticeable signs of water damage, such as dark areas, persistent wet spots, or visible mold. Not all moisture makes itself so apparent, however. Even if your roof isn't leaking and you can't spot any signs of water damage, it's often a good idea to have a roofing contractor perform a complete inspection after a significant rain and wind storm.

Contact a residential roofing service, such as New Roof, to learn more.