CAUSES OF ROOF DAMAGE
How Can You Protect Your Roof?
Your roof is both an asset and an investment. The integrity of the wood, the underlayment, the shingles, and the flashings protects everything under your roof. You want each of these layers to be strong, sturdy, and dependable. Poor choice of roofer or roofing products can lead to massive damage, especially in areas with extreme climates. With Indiana summers reaching temperatures over one hundred degrees and winter temperatures falling into the negatives, along with snow, ice, rain, and hail, having a quality-made roof is critical to avoiding roof damage. So how can you protect your roof?
Weather And Seasons
Roof damage is usually caused by the weather. It’s simple. The weather is the wear and tear that is put on your roof. To protect your roof there are things you should do every season to make sure your home stays safe.
Spring
Spring brings shifts in the climate when we start to have the snow melting off, and we find leaks as water drains away. Clogged gutters can make this worse by creating poor drainage, which can also harm your home’s foundation. Take time in the spring to clean your gutters and check for damage your roof may have taken during the winter. As temperatures start to rise, you may also notice mold and algae growth on your roof. You can learn the best ways to clean your roof at ClaytonHoover.com/how-to-remove-mold-from-your-roof.
Summer
Summertime heat forces the wood and materials to expand, which is normal and considered when laying down materials. Summer can also bring big storms which can have high winds that rip up shingles, or bring tree limbs down to break shingles off. Once a storm is over, it’s always good to get a look at your roof and make sure nothing has been damaged. If shingles are broken or missing, they’ll need to be replaced before another storm comes and makes it worse. And with falling limbs and debris, your gutters can get clogged again, so make sure to look at them too.
Fall
Fall brings in leaves and cooling temperatures. When the temperatures drop, all those materials that were expanding are now shrinking. When some roofing materials shrink, they can begin to crack. And with more rain in the fall, those cracks are a recipe for roof leaks. Spring and fall are when you should hire roofers to come out for an inspection. These times of year offer breaks from extreme weather and are typically when work slows for roofers. It’s the perfect opportunity to have your home checked for roof damage so you can get repairs and prepare for the next harsh season. Taking time in the fall to clean your gutters will also help prevent roof damage in the winter. So clean your gutters and keep an eye out for any broken shingles or ripping flashings.
Winter
Winter is interesting because we worry about melting snow more than we worry about snow just setting on our roof. It’s the season to be mindful of having ridge vents or attic ventilation. With attics, the warm air from inside our house can melt the bottom layers of the snow, this water runs to the edge of the roof, hardens, and this creates ice dams. Ice dams are very damaging because of their weight and the way that the melting water can get caught and pushed back underneath the roof’s shingles. Obviously, we don’t want water just sitting on our roof, so preparing for this and understanding how best to safely take care of ice dams is something you should discuss with a roof inspector (which you will hopefully have time to do when you call them for a fall inspection).
When you’ve been roofing in South Bend for over seventy-five years, you’ve seen it all. Roof damage from wind, snow, hail, UV rays, and flying debris can’t always be avoided. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to keep their roof clean and free of algae, debris, clogged gutters, and grime, as these could result in long-term damage. Unclogging gutters and downspouts, clearing the roof of leaves and snow, washing the shingles, and simply keeping an eye on the roof will help make your roof last. It’s a big investment and it’s important that you take the time to protect your roof.
It’s our responsibility to make sure your investment in a new roof is worth it. No matter the season, we want to make sure that your roof is prepared against all kinds of possible damage. Clayton Hoover and Sons specifically use CertainTeed products for their customers. CertainTeed comes with its own set of warranties attached to it, but Clayton Hoover and Sons are also dedicated to laying down their materials to guarantee your satisfaction. They are the South Bend area’s best option for a safe and affordable roofing crew. Contact us at ClaytonHoover.com/roofing to schedule your free roof inspection or get an estimate on a new roof.
