Posted by roofcoadmin January 24, 2019
Sometimes maintenance is as simple as fixing a broken garbage disposal, or watching a YouTube video and learning how to repair stained tile caulking. Other times, however, home maintenance means bigger projects. Generally, roof repairs are DIY inappropriate so if you notice roof leaks, cracks, blustering, ridges among other roofing problems, failing to contact qualified roofing contractors is setting yourself up for extensive and costly repairs. This article sheds some light on risks of neglecting your roof you may not be aware of:
Severe water damage causing growth of mold or…something worse.
At first, a small leak may seem like a minor annoyance, one you could simply ignore and hope it’ll just go away on its own. In reality though, a shingle roof leak will not heal itself miraculously like a paper cut on a finger. Once a roof starts leaking, it can only get worse. Over time, a small leak expands letting in more water through causing havoc in your house. The water will soak into your ceiling, insulation, the deck, and other areas. The longer you ignore a leaking roof, the more expensive the repairs will become.
Mold growth
Presence of moisture in the roof increases humidity in the house, providing the perfect environment for the growth of mold. Mold has been proven to cause many health problems such as allergies, respiratory diseases, difficulty breathing, and asthma attacks. And this is not the only problem, molds will also destroy your household furniture and structures. On this note, if you have a multi-layered roof, you may not notice leaks immediately till a roofer goes up there and runs an inspection.
Water and electricity are a brewing recipe for disaster
The old adage about not mixing water and electricity reigns to date. A downpour through the extended roof leak that was once small can cause irreparable damage to your electronics and in worst case scenarios, loss of life. Electronic appliances devices were never intended to be exposed to water. Water speedups oxidation of metals causing erosion in the metal conductors. As electrical conductors corrode, the appliances resistance to carry an electrical current increase. Heating occurs in the circuit which causes further corrosion. The end result is the conductors becoming hot enough to ignite their surroundings. This is how ignoring that seemingly small leak can start a fire in the house; the process is usually subtle but the results are detrimental.
Delayed roofing repairs will automatically delay a house sale
Finally, if you’re planning to sell your house in future, good luck trying to explain to a potential buyer that the stains in the ceiling and the steady drips aren’t a big problem. You can rest assured that a potential buyer will be scrutinizing every detail in each room. They’ll turn on the taps, open and close doors just to see if the hinges are broken, check the bathroom to see if the shower is broken, then stare long enough at the ceiling for any signs of stains. Nobody wants to settle for a house that is full of things that need repair. When you neglect regular roof inspection and repairs, the results are dilapidated roofs; something that is not very attractive to potential buyers.
A regular roof inspection can prevent minor damage from moving from bad to worse. And let’s not forget – some touch-ups on your roof every once in while will make your roof look nicer too improving your houses overall curb appeal.