Being a homeowner comes along with a lot of responsibilities. One of the most significant is ensuring the integrity of your roof as it protects your home and all that’s inside of it. Whenever you experience a problem with your roof, it’s best to consult a professional to determine if a repair or replacement service is necessary.
Top Reasons to Call for Roof Repair Service
Whenever you experience a problem with your roof, it’s best to get it looked at sooner rather than later. There are a number of situations where a simple repair may suffice. However, other cases may showcase a failure with your entire roofing system and require a complete replacement.
Water Leakage
Water leakage is by far one of the most common problems that homeowners face with their roofs. These leaks can develop at different locations. Some may be the result of a missing or cracked shingle while others may be the result of a bent or missing piece of flashing. If you’re just dealing with one water leak, it’s highly likely that a roofer will simply do a repair service.
This could be putting sealant on a cracked shingle or installing a new piece of flashing on your chimney. In cases where you’re experiencing frequent leaks, it could signal that your existing roofing materials are nearing the end of their lifespan and a full replacement service is in your best interest.
Massive Granule Loss
All shingles have a top coat of granules that help to protect them from damage. This sand-like layer will start to fall off as shingles near the end of their lifespan. You’ll most likely start to notice a lot of granules building up inside your gutters. This is an indication that you’ll need to schedule a full roof replacement service as your shingles are at the end of their usable lifespan.
Curling Shingles
Asphalt shingles are intended to remain flat on your existing roofing surface. If you start to notice that the bottom of your shingles are starting to buckle or curl over, it’s a key indication that something isn’t right. Curling can be the result of poor attic ventilation, improper installation, and even excess wear and tear. If just a few of your shingles are curling, they may be repairable if the root cause of the problem is remedied.
However, if pretty much all the asphalt shingles on your roof are curling, it’s likely that you’ll need a full replacement. The area of the shingle that is curling will allow water to penetrate the roofing layers underneath, so it’s absolutely vital to have this issue addressed promptly to prevent further damage.
Missing Shingles
Missing shingles can spell immediate disaster for your home. The underlayment that lies directly under the shingles will only stop water penetration for a short while. Eventually, it will fail and water will start damaging your roof decking. The extent of the missing shingles will play a large role in whether a replacement or repair service is necessary.
In the event that there’s only a handful of asphalt shingles missing from your roof, a simple repair service will include adhering new shingles to those locations. However, if your roof is missing a large number of shingles, a replacement is typically recommended. This is because if you were to repair the large section by installing new shingles, there would be a variation in age between the new shingles installed and the existing one.
Flashing Issues
Flashing is a metal material that gets installed in roof valleys and around roof protrusions, like your chimney. Its main job is to divert water away from the protrusion and onto the shingles for further diversion. When your flashing gets bent, it can allow water to seep in behind it and penetrate your roof decking or other components in your home.
If the flashing is completely missing, it leaves behind a large gap where water can streamline down the protrusion and right into the inside of your home. Most flashing issues can be handled with a simple repair service where the existing flashing is bent back into place or new flashing is installed.
Impact Damage
Unfortunately, your roof can be susceptible to impact damage from falling tree limbs or other flying debris during nasty storm events. When you experience damage, it’s best to have a roofing professional evaluate the extent of it and how to handle it. In some cases of light impact damage, a roofing sealant may be used to cover up cracks in your shingles. In more severe cases, the entire roof decking and other roofing materials may need complete replacement to restore the structural integrity of your roofing structure.
Sagging Roof
An unpleasant issue you may experience with your roof is that it’s sagging down. This is usually an indication that your roofing material is too heavy, which is very common when a subpar roofer installs multiple layers of shingle on top of each other.
A sagging roof can also indicate that the lower decking material on your roof is water-damaged and rotting out. As this decking loses its structural integrity, your roof will sag down and eventually it will collapse without adequate repair service. Because the extent of damage from a sagging roof is so large, it’s typically necessary to rip off all the existing roofing material. This includes the decking, and rebuilt it all back up with new materials, including new shingles.
Moss or Algae Growth
Both moss and algae can lead to trouble for your roofing materials. While many newer roofing shingles are resistant to these growths, not all shingles are. If you notice green growths on your roof, it’s necessary to have a professional remove them. It isn’t a good idea to try and remove the growths yourself as you may end up damaging the shingles by removing their necessary granules.
These growths are well-known to hold onto moisture, which can deteriorate the surface of your roofing materials. If caught early on, a roofing professional can safely remove moss and algae. They can then apply a treatment to your roof to prevent further growth from occurring. However, if the growth has been going on for a while, it may have deteriorated the shingles and they may need to undergo replacement service.
Aging Roof
Each roofing material will come with its own estimated lifespan. For example, metal roofing offers a lifespan of around 40 to 70 years, depending on the specific type of metal, whereas asphalt shingles have a lifespan of 15 to 30 years. If your roof is nearing the end of its lifespan, it’s time to think about a replacement service. If you experience any other problems with your aging roof, like leakage, you may want to consider just replacing the whole roof instead of paying for a short-term repair service.
Helpful Roof Repair Service
Action Roofing offers helpful roof repair service for the Fort Lauderdale, FL community. We can assist with all your roof replacement, roof inspection, storm damage, and commercial roofing needs. Simply call us today to schedule your next service consultation.
