Did strong winds just come through your neighborhood? Maybe you’ve got tree branches rubbing on your roof? Or perhaps you’re missing some shingles?
There are many signs that show your roof needs repair. Most signs are visible from the ground. For example, a strong wind gust can relocated patio furniture onto your roof (actually happened to a client of ours). A fallen tree branch can damage your roof. Swaying tree branches can wear out a section of your roof.
Sometimes your roof doesn’t need replacing. Sometimes a roof is repairable. We offer free roof inspections and estimates. If you suspect you have roof damage, contact us. If we find your roof needs repair, we’ll let you know. In addition, if we find your roof is perfectly fine, we’ll let you know that, too. We do not want to replace your roof if it doesn’t need to be.
Short Answer: your roof needs repair if it has broken or missing roofing material, if there are holes in your roof, if it has loose roofing material, if it has localized damage, has flashing damage, or there’s water in the attic.
1. Broken or Missing Material
The most common sign your roof is in need of repair is damaged or missing roofing material. High winds can blow-off roof material, such as asphalt shingles, or cause them to tear. If too much material is missing or damaged, the underlayment is then exposed. Exposed underlayment is susceptible to damage from rain, snow, hail, etc., therefore, it is important to protect it from these weather elements. Excessive missing roofing material is a sign you might need a new roof.
2. Hole(s) in Your Roof
Here in Colorado and Wyoming, we can get strong wind gusts. Sometimes they are strong enough to pick-up objects, such as furniture, and relocate them on your roof. Strong winds can also break tree branches. Fallen objects onto your roof can cause serious damage. Depending upon the object and how strong the wind is, you might end-up with a hole in your roof, and this is nothing to ignore.
If this is the case, your roof needs repair right away. If water gets into your attic, it can cause a lot of damage, such as mold growth and rot. In examples such as holes in your roof, a quick and inexpensive repair might be all that’s needed.
3. Loose Material
A few loose shingles is not necessarily a bad thing on a dry, calm day. However, they become a problem when the wind blows or it rains. Unsealed roofing material can get torn or blown-off in the wind, even metal. When it rains, water can get underneath that material, which can lead to water leaks, which lead to further problems. Therefore, it’s best to secure loose shingles right away before more serious problems develop.
4. Localized Damage
Just like an unsealed roof shingle, a damaged shingle is not something to ignore. If a tree branch rubs on your roof, or a branch has broken off and is actually resting on the shingles, it can cause the shingles to wear out prematurely. Worn-out shingles lead to water leaks, which, again, can lead to more serious problems.
Is the damage bad enough that your roof is leaking?
Depending upon the severity of the damage, your roof might already be leaking. Checkout our article on the 6 signs your roof is leaking to find out.
5. Flashing Damage
Your roof isn’t just the roof covering, it’s also flashing. Flashing is thin strips of metal used along edges of your roof, such as where your roof meets your chimney and around vents. Flashing is secured to your roof deck with nails and sealant. Just like any other part of your roof, flashing can get damaged. However, because flashing is made of metal, it’s often more resilient than the roof covering, such as asphalt shingles. Flashing damage is often difficult to spot. Unsealed flashing is most common.
6. Water in Attic
If you see evidence of water in your attic after a rainstorm, that’s a sign your roof is leaking and needs repairing. Water may be leaking from a hole in your roof, or from unsealed flashing or roof material. Water in your attic is a cascading effect of problems, including electrical fires and shortages, mold and rot, structural failure, and more.
Myths Your Roof Needs Repair
a. Dark Streaks
Algae often causes dark streaks on asphalt shingles. This is more an aesthetic issue, as Owens Corning states on their website, and does not affect the performance of the shingles. We rarely see excessive roof algae growth here in Colorado, since our humidity is relatively low. Algae growth on roofs is more of a problem for those in the Eastern U.S.
b. Dents in Metal Roofing
Dented metal roofing, such as standing seam, isn’t necessarily damaged. Dents are often only an aesthetic issue and not a performance issue. However, dents may contains cracks if hit by a large enough hail stone. Therefore, if your metal roof has dents, contact us for a free roof inspection. We will let you know if you metal roof has in fact been damaged.
The Bottom Line
Do not ignore the above signs your roof needs repair. If your roof is found to be in need of repair, it will be important to implement those repairs right away, especially before a wind, snow, rain, or hail storm. Small damages, if ignored, can lead to bigger and more expensive problems later.
Some roof damage can appear fine to the untrained eye. Sometimes it takes a roofing professional to spot when a roof needs repair. You can inspect your roof yourself, or you can contact us for a free inspection. It’s better to be safe and get your roof inspected by a professional than to ignore it and hope everything is ok.
When we inspect your roof for free, you have nothing to lose. With over 30 years in the roofing business, we know what to look for. If your roof is found to not need any repairs at all, we’ll let you know that, too.