Five warning signs your roof may need repair
Well, that doesn’t seem right….
Much like your car – where new squeaks, rattles, and other symptoms may prompt a visit to your mechanic – your roof often gives you subtle (and sometimes no-so-subtle) signs that repairs are needed.
Hopefully, you’ve been performing regular spring and fall roof maintenance, but either way, you should keep an eye on open all year round to ensure minor issues don’t grow into costly headaches.
Here are the some of the most common signs that it’s time to call your roofing professional:
Moisture where it shouldn’t be
- Signs of water damage (stains, peeling/bubbling paint, etc.) on walls and ceilings
- Water stains on pipes that vent through the roof
- Damp areas around a fireplace
Structural issues
- Sagging areas on underside of roof
- Deteriorating, loose or missing shingles
- Damaged seals, cracks or signs of debris in and around chimneys and vents
- Rust spots/stains on flashing
Reduced gutter/downspout performance
- Gutters overflowing during rainfall
- Reduced water flow from downspouts
- Loose/broken gutters or downspouts
- Shingle debris in gutters
Critters
- Signs of damage caused by wildlife (rodents, birds, insects, etc.)
- Sounds of animals moving about in roof/walls
- Foul odours of indeterminate origin
Other incidents
- Large branches/whole trees falling onto roof
- Severe storms, with high winds, heavy rains, or large hail
- Excessive snow buildup
Drip…Drip…Drip…Uh-oh!
Despite your best efforts, there are times where problems can pop up seemingly out of the blue. If you’re collecting rainwater in buckets in the middle of your living room, call a professional roofer immediately. The longer you wait, the more damage will occur – and the more it will cost to repair!
As Benjamin Franklin once said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Tags: Maintenance, Maintenance Tips, Roof, Signs of Damage, Snow Damage
I didn’t realize that a gutter malfunction was something to call the roofer about. My husband and I have been noticing some issues with our gutters lately with some of the spring rain. We’ll be sure to make some calls so that we can figure out what’s wrong and get everything fixed up.
I thought it was interesting how you talked about having gutter and downspout performance issues. My friend was telling me about how she was having this kind of problem lately with all of the rain. It’s good to know that this is a sign to fix something with the roof so I’ll be sure to help her figure this out and get ready for the repairs.