The Leaky Truth About Roofs

Your roof’s purpose is to provide the first line of defense for you, your family and your belongings against the elements. Water has a way of penetrating that defense when it finds a weakness.

The majority of roof leaks are easy repairs once the source of the leak has been determined. Determining the source is the biggest problem. When you have a drip coming from your ceiling, that doesn’t mean that is where the leak is located. Water runs downhill, so the actual leak could be from the other side of the house.

There are several things that can be the cause of a roof leak. For instance, AC and plumbing can cause a misdiagnosed roof leak. And with spring weather in this part of the country, hail damage and wind damage are number one in roof leaks. Some other roof leaks can be:

• Cracked, loose, missing shingles or tiles
• Damaged or deteriorated caulking, flashing, or seals
• Poor attic ventilation
• Poorly installed collars, flashings, shingles, or valleys
• Ice dams
• Pooled or ponding water
• Nail heads exposed
• Skylights
• Debris built up

Many of these things you can stop before they cause roof leaks by doing a monthly check of your roof. If you aren’t able to see the top of your roof from the ground and aren’t comfortable climbing a ladder, give us a call at Dunrite Roofing. After a hail storm in the area, it is wise to have your roof checked before you notice a leak.

Did Your Roof Get Hail Damage?

We’ve already had some strong weather coming through this year – early spring hail storms are the worse! They don’t only damage the spring gardens and our vehicles, but the roof on your home has the potential of being damaged, too. Hail can damage your home’s roof, and you won’t even know until the next big rain storm.

Here are few of the factors that can affect your roof after a hailstorm.

The Wind – With a hailstorm comes hard winds from any direction and every direction at high rates of speed. That high speed and the change in direction can affect the impact of hail.

Density and Size – Hailstones come in different sizes. They can be the size of a pea and as large as a softball. But they aren’t as smooth as a pea or softball – they have rough edges and that allows them to make more of an impact.

Absorbing Building Materials – All building materials will absorb hail impact differently. For instance, hail will ding a metal roof, metal cutters, and asphalt shingles. However, softball-size hail can puncture your roof.

What Does Hail Damage Look Like?

Well, it depends on what it hits. Various types of shingles have various reactions. Asphalt and composition shingles will have random hail damage, usually black in color. It will knock off granules and expose the felt underneath.Wood shingles will split and have dents and marks.

If you think that your home may have received hail damage on the roof, give us a call and let us take a look. If your neighbor’s house is getting a new roof, there is a pretty good chance your roof was damaged, too.