High winds, hail, heavy rains, and even hurricanes have the potential to cause serious damage to your roof. If the damage is severe, your roof could start leaking. A leaking roof is a major problem as it can lead to water damage inside the home. Roof leaks also create the potential for mold to start growing inside, which can worsen allergies and lead to respiratory problems and other health issues. All of these issues are the reason why it is so important that you have your roof inspected for damage after any major storm, and here is everything you need to know about how this is done and what options you have if your roof does have storm damage.
Inspecting a Roof for Storm Damage
If you have a ladder and are comfortable with climbing on your roof, you can inspect for major damage on your own. However, we would not recommend going up on the roof as severe damage could make the roof unsafe to walk on. Instead, climb up to the edge of the roof and look for obvious signs of damage such as missing shingles or tiles or large branches resting on the roof.
If your roof is more than 20 years old and hasn’t been inspected for a few years, attempting to climb on it should be avoided. In this situation, there is a chance that the roof sheeting or even the rafters are damaged and could lead to your falling through were you to try to walk around on the roof.
Major roof damage is fairly easy to spot as you should immediately notice if some shingles or tiles are missing or loose. The only problem is that many types of roof damage aren’t as easy to spot and can still cause serious problems. For instance, hail can easily damage your roofing materials and lead to water starting to seep underneath or leak inside. If water starts to seep underneath shingles, it can lead to the wooden sheeting starting to warp or rot. Hail can also cause major damage to metal roofs and lead to water soaking into the roof trusses or rafters.
The fact that storm damage can often be difficult to spot is why it is always best to hire a professional roofing company to inspect your roof after a major storm or if you suspect your roof has any damage. At Protek Roofing, Heating, Air & Solar, our team has the knowledge and skills to fully inspect your roof and identify any potential damage. As soon as the storm has finished and the weather has cleared, our team can come out and inspect your roof for any possible issues.
If your roof is still mostly in good shape and we only suspect minor damage, our team can climb up and inspect all of the shingles or other roofing materials to ensure that everything is still in good condition and there are no leaks or other issues. If your roof is old or there is a possibility that it has major damage, such as after a hurricane, we can also inspect it using one of our drones. By using a drone, we can fully inspect every inch of the roof without risking further damage or any potential safety issues.
Drone inspections are also a good option if your roof has a steep slope or if it uses more fragile materials like clay shingles. Inspecting a steep roof is much more complicated since it requires the use of harnesses and other safety equipment, and this can make using a drone a much safer and quicker option. The same is true for clay tile roofs as walking on them can easily cause the tiles to crack, which again can easily be avoided by instead using a drone to inspect for damage.
In addition to inspecting the roof itself, it is also important to check the attic or top floor of the building for signs of damage such as water spots or light shining through. Inspecting the attic also allows us to check the underlying structure of the roof, i.e. the sheeting and roof trusses, for any signs of water damage, rotting, or other issues. This is important as damage to the underlying structure could make the roof unsafe to walk on.
Options for Roof Repair or Replacement
After inspecting your roof and determining the extent of the damage, we can then help you decide whether repairing the roof or replacing it is the better option. If the roof only has a few missing or loose shingles, we can usually replace them with no issue to ensure that the roof doesn’t start leaking or that the damage doesn’t lead to other issues. However, if the waterproof underlayment that lies below the roofing is also damaged, you will need to have the roofing materials removed so that the underlayment can be replaced. If not, your roof could easily start leaking and lead to more serious damage and potential structural issues.
The age of your roof and the type of roofing materials are also important considerations when deciding between roof repairs and replacement. If your roof has asphalt shingles that are more than 15 to 20 years old, we would generally always recommend replacing the roof even if the damage isn’t all that severe. In this case, replacement typically always makes more sense as your roof will most likely need to be replaced within a few years anyways. If you have a building with a metal roof that has been damaged by hail or extreme winds, you are also usually best off to have all of the metal roof sheets replaced or else the roof could easily start leaking.
After tearing off the old roofing and underlayment, we will then need to inspect all of the wooden sheeting to determine whether it is still in good shape. If only a few of the sheets have minor damage, they can usually be replaced without having to tear all of the sheeting off. However, if the sheeting is old, you are usually best off having it replaced as well as this will help to extend the life of your new roof. In this case, we will need to carefully plan out the project based on the weather and work in steps to ensure that water can’t leak inside while the work is being performed.
Expert Roof Inspections, Repairs, and Replacement Services
At Protek Roofing, Heating, Air & Solar, we specialize in storm damage inspections and can easily repair any damage to prevent your roof from leaking. Our team has years of experience repairing all types of storm damage, and we work on all types of residential and commercial roofing materials. If the inspection reveals major damage, you can also count on us for roof replacement. We always provide free estimates for all roof repairs, replacement, and installation services as well as free second opinions so you can be assured you’re getting a fair deal. If you suspect your roof has storm damage and needs to be inspected or you need any other roofing services in Tampa or the surrounding areas, give the experts at Protek Roofing, Heating, Air & Solar a call today.
