Last Updated on April 12, 2024
Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods. These are the four scariest words when talking about your roof.
Roofing damage can cost thousands of dollars to repair, so it’s important to protect your roof from anything that threatens it. But hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods aren’t the only dangers your roof is facing.
Keep reading to learn about 3 sneaky things that cause roof damage without you even knowing it.
Table of Contents
1. Debris
Debris collecting on your roof is one of the most common reasons for roof damage. Whether it’s falling leaves and twigs or squirrels leaving nuts behind, it will eventually start to collect and wear down your roof. When debris sits on your roof, it can start to collect water and cause leaks, as well as allow mold to grow.
It’s important to hop on a ladder and check for debris routinely.
You can use a leaf blower to clean your roof. Alternatively, if you aren’t handy with the power tools or simply don’t have a leaf blower, grab a broom and start sweeping.
Either way, you’ve got to get the debris off and keep it off.
2. Weather
Natural disasters aren’t the only weather patterns that can tear up your roof.
If you live in a relatively windy city, you might want to keep an eye out for wind roof damage. While a small breeze doesn’t bother us so much on the ground, wind speeds increase significantly the higher up they are. Constant wind can start to pull on your shingles, tear up the gutters, and erode parts of your roof.
Hail and snow are also weather patterns that you should keep an eye out for.
Hail can be small but very powerful. Wind and gravity can throw hail hard enough to leave dents in a car and break windows. What do you think it will do to your roof?
As far as snow, it tends to pile up on your roof and just sit there. If you aren’t shoveling it off regularly, that water will sit there and start to leak into your home – especially once it starts to melt.
3. Faulty Gutters
Your gutter system is what allows the water to drain off of your roof after a heavy rainstorm. If your gutters are cluttered with debris, broken, or simply not working for any reason, water will sit on your roof and start causing leaks.
If you suspect that there is a problem with your gutter system, have a professional inspect it. You’re better off paying a small fee for an inspector and some repairs than having to replace your entire roof due to water damage.
Watch for Roof Damage
So many things can cause roof damage and you’ll never even notice. The only way to prolong the life of your roof is to constantly poke your head up there and make sure everything is in tiptop shape. Prepare for local or special weather patterns, chase off the squirrels, clean the gutters, and just keep up with routine maintenance.
If you take care of your roof, your roof will take care of you for a very long time.
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