Roofs stand against the harsh weather outside and protect those inside the house. Roofs have been the symbol of safety and protection since time immemorial and they continue to serve that purpose today. There are, however, things that can bring down these mighty roofs and most of them are constantly acting on your roofs slowly eating at their strength. It might appear that the roofs got suddenly damaged but in truth, the signs of potential damage became apparent long before the irreversible damage was done. It is often advised by most contractors and construction companies to do a thorough survey of the condition of your roof so you can quickly spot a leak in its early stages. By being vigilant you can avoid extensive damage which may end up forcing you to replace the entire roof and this is a very costly endeavor. On the other hand, it is often cheaper to fix small problems, and some can even be done without the intervention of a professional if you are handy and can handle some tools to do a DIY repair. If not, many contractors have some people on call that can quickly fix your problem on the same day. This is very helpful when you do not want to waste the time to hire contractors and do not trust yourself to do a successful repair. By keeping up with these repairs on a timely basis you avoid the headache that can be a roof leak. So, visit this site to get more information about roof damage, roof repairs, and other construction work like painting, roofing, etc.
Knowing when your roof is damaged is only possible if you first understand the different ways through which a roof can get damaged.
Water is the worst enemy of the roof. Water in its different forms can damage the roof and the speed at which it can damage the roof depends on the climate conditions around your house. Under the right conditions, water damage can reduce your roof’s expected lifespan by half. The quote on the life expectancy given by manufacturers is untrustworthy for this very reason. Under their testing, the roof may perform very well but they can not properly simulate the real world conditions which can reduce the life of a roof. Water can seep into small cracks and crevices and as it starts to pool in that crack it slowly increases its size. As the size increases the amount of water it can hold also increases which speeds up the process. This is a relatively slow process that will eventually cause your roof to leak but the right conditions can speed this process up. Water is plenty dangerous on its own but if the climate permits and snow and ice are possibilities then the trouble is doubled. In colder areas, the water that exists in the aforementioned cracks and crevices can now freeze when the temperature drops. The water turns to ice which expands. This expansion can put pressure on the surrounding material of the roof thus increasing the crack in volume. When the water thaws it contracts and more water can get in. This cycle is a much more dangerous version of the one mentioned before.
Blocked drain pipes can also be a problem since the water and snow mixture has no place to go. As it continues to pile up the weight the roof is forced to bear increases. Under increased pressure, a weak part of the roof can end up breaking.
If you happen to live in areas with strong winds, having a large tree whose branches are next to your roof can be dangerous. Under strong winds, the branches can scrape the roof damaging it.
