Things To Look For When Checking Your Roof After A Storm
Residential roofing is made to withstand typical storms. Whether you have an asphalt shingle, metal, or tile roof, it should survive an average summer storm with little to no damage as long as the roof is in good condition. If your roof is old or if the storm is stronger than usual, the risk of roof damage increases. That's why it's a good idea to check your roof after a storm passes. Here are some things to look for.
Dents In Metal Gutters
If your gutters are ripped off or otherwise damaged, that's a clue that your roof might have damage. Also, if there are dents in the gutters from hail, you definitely want to check the roof for bruises from hail impacts. If you see what could be hail damage on your roof, call your insurance company for advice on how to proceed since your roof needs to be checked by a roofing contractor when it has hail damage.
Bricks Missing From The Chimney
Check your chimney for signs of damage from strong winds or a lightning strike. A storm can blow bricks out, and if that happens, the bricks could damage your roof when they land. If the bricks are all in place, but you see leaning or cracks in the chimney, you may want your roof checked because more than the chimney could be damaged.
Shingles Missing Or Damaged
Depending on the shape of your roof, you might be able to see all the shingles from the ground. Check for missing shingles, crooked shingles, and shingles with cracks or bruises that indicate hail or wind damage. Even if you have just a few shingles out of place, roof repairs should be done promptly so your roof doesn't start leaking.
Water Stains From A Leak
Storm damage might not lead to a roof leak right away. Instead, it may take a while for the rain to get under the shingles, go through the underlayment, and rot the deck so water seeps through. You may not notice water stains on your ceiling until months later and not connect the leak with a storm.
It's also possible for your roof to leak right away, so it's good to always keep an eye out for leaks. Check your attic occasionally for signs of water dripping through the roof so you can repair leaks before they ruin your ceiling below and cause a lot of water damage.
Look For Fallen Debris And Holes
If a big branch falls on your roof during a storm or if other wind-blown debris lands on your roof, it's a good idea to have your roof checked for damage. A tree limb or branch that's big enough can crack the deck or punch a hole through it. You might not see the hole from the ground, but debris should be easy to spot.
Debris can also scrape granules off and loosen shingles, so you'll want to have the debris removed as soon as possible and then have your roof checked out.
Different types of residential roofing tolerate storms in different ways. Even types of asphalt shingles can differ. Higher grades withstand strong winds and impacts better than economy shingles. If you know what wind speed and hail size your roof is rated for, you'll know when the storm exceeds the rating for your roof and when damage is more likely.
To learn more, contact a residential roofing company.
