Nailing This Down

Posted on: 28 April 2022

An asphalt shingle roof can last a long time, but if you keep up with repairs, you'll get better life from your roof. Asphalt shingles can suffer from a number of damages, and other parts of the roof can be damaged too by storms, trees, or animals. Here's a look at some common types of roof damage and what a residential roof repair company—such as AAA Affordable Roofing—can do to correct it so your house doesn't leak.

1. Water Damage To The Plywood Deck

One of the risks of a roof leak that isn't repaired promptly is that the roof of the deck can get wet and start to leak. You may not notice the problem if you don't go inside your attic very often. You might become aware of a roof leak when you see a stain on your ceiling or when it looks like your roof has a sag in it.

Rotted decking has to be replaced as soon as possible or your roof might fall in, especially if someone walks on it. To make this residential roof repair, the contractor has to pull the shingles off of the affected area and then cut out all the water-damaged decking. Then new decking is nailed to the rafters to make the deck dry and solid again. After that, new underlayment and shingles are put down and that area of your roof is good as new.

2. The Flashing Is Loose Or Cracked

While you might think of damaged shingles causing your roof to leak, flashing problems are common reasons for roof leaks too. Flashing is often made from aluminum, so rust isn't a big issue, but the adhesives that bond it to the roof can wear away and then the flashing gets loose and lets water roll underneath it.

This type of residential roof repair could be of two parts. First, the roofer can check under the flashing to see if the rain caused the deck to get wet and rot. If so, the wet deck has to be replaced. Next, the roofer has to replace the adhesive and make sure it has a tight bond so water can't leak under the aluminum. If the flashing is cracked or otherwise damaged, the roofer may need to replace the flashing entirely.

3. Asphalt Shingles Are Curled On The Edges

Even if the curled shingles aren't leaking, your roofer may want to repair or replace them. Curled shingles can get caught by the wind and ripped off. Any type of damaged shingle is more vulnerable in a storm. Shingles might curl up due to excessive heat. So, in addition to replacing the shingles, the roofer might need to improve ventilation in the attic so your roof won't get so hot.