The Different Types of Roof Damage in Grand Rapids Michigan and What To Do About It

If you’ve been a home owner for any amount of time then you probably already know that roofing damage is something that can’t too much be prevented. This is why you should never skip regular maintenance for your roofing in Grand Rapids Michigan. While maintenance may not make your roof last forever, it will help it last a lot longer. It could also save you from having to get a roof replacement sooner than later.

The Different Types of Roof Damage in Grand Rapids Michigan and What To Do About It

When you skip over routine maintenance things can go from bad to horrible very quickly. Not only could it cost you your entire roof, it could also end up costing you your home. Ignoring maintaining your home could result in mold and mildew, foundation rot, and even your walls rotting.

The main thing about roof damage is that you want to know what you’re looking at and encountering. The average person doesn’t know too much more about a roof other then it offers shelter. This is one of the important reasons why you should hire a professional to do the work. You should have an inspection done on your roof at least once a year. Inspections will show minor repairs you will have to get done to your roof. This could end up saving you from having to get your entire roof replaced.

Hail Damage

If you live in the south then you know that you’ll encounter strong winds, plenty of rain, and sometimes hail. Hail is usually any homes worst nightmare. While most roofs can take the damage, it still puts wear and tear on your roof. With that being said, if you notice damaged shingles on your home then you need to look into getting them replaced as soon as possible. If you have a large storm come through where you live then you need to look into getting a roof inspection after it. When the storm comes through it does nothing but put wear and tear on your roof.

But hail doesn’t just damage your roof. It could also be a nightmare for your gutters too. Depending on the size of the hail it could end up shredding your gutters to pieces. Not only damage your gutters, but your flashing too.

Moisture and leaks

Most leaks are typically caused by excessive rainfall. You never want to ignore a leak in your roof. The longer you brush it off, the worse off it’ll get. Eventually you’ll start noticing discoloration on your ceilings if you have a leak. If you do notice this happening in your home then most of the time it’s too late.

A roof leak can end up rotting out your wooden beams and cause you to have to remodel your entire home very quickly. If you wait to long to correct the problem it could end up costing you your entire home. If you notice moss on top of your roof this could also cause damage. Moss absorbs moisture and it then gets transferred to your home’s roof. This is horrible for your roof’s health seeing as moss can’t escape through the gutters like regular rain.

Damaged Flashing

When you look closely at your roof you’ll notice that every joint on the roof is covered by a sheet of material. Most of the time this material is going to be aluminum. This is often referred to as flashing. If your home didn’t have flashing then that would mean moisture could get to all the joints on your home’s roof.

It’s a good idea to have the flashing replaced when you have your roof replaced. There is really no set lifetime on flashing. Just like your roof, it’s lifespan depends on the weather conditions it has to go through. Inspecting your flashing and discovering small holes in it is a sure fire sign that it needs to be replaced. Normally when you get a roof inspection they also inspect your flashing too. If you notice large holes in it then you need to have it replaced as soon as possible before it ends up ruining your home.

Call a Professional Roofing Contractor

The first thing you should do if you notice roof damage is get a contractor out immediately. The longer you wait the worse off your roof’s condition is going to get. Leaks don’t fix themselves no matter how much it seems like they might do sometimes. Annual roof inspections are very important to enhance your roof’s lifespan. Be sure to contact Grand Rapids Home Pros today to schedule a roof inspection on your home.