Most small roof problems don’t remain small for a long period. For example, a loose shingle, a small leak, or damaged flashing won’t be a big deal today. However, by next fall, after the wet winters and cold spring rains of Burnaby have had their impact, this same problem can turn into a very costly repair, as water always finds a way to get into your home and the water damage grows quickly.
Therefore, knowing what can happen when you delay roof repairs will provide you with the knowledge necessary to protect your home, your belongings, save money, and get optimal performance from your current roof. Many Burnaby residential roofing experts strongly advise that all roof problems should be repaired as soon as possible rather than waiting until the damage becomes apparent.
Roof Problems Grow Larger Each Season
Most roof problems begin with a relatively small issue. A broken shingle, a lifted flashing joint, or clogged gutters often go unnoticed because there’s no immediate evidence of leakage within your home.
However, your roof is subjected to the weather each and every day. In Burnaby, it experiences a large amount of precipitation throughout the year, and your roof remains moist for extended periods of time. In addition, during the winter months, water can freeze overnight and get trapped within cracks. Then the water melts in the warmer daytime hours, allowing it to enter deeper into the cracks. As this process continues, the cracks continue to grow and weaken the various components of your roof.
As a result, what was initially a simple fix turns into a much larger problem.
Water Enters Your Home Through Openings in the Roof System
Your roof is designed to prevent water from entering your home. Once this protection has been compromised, moisture is allowed to enter beneath your roofing components.
Initially, you may only see a small area of discoloration on your ceiling or a damp area in your attic. However, over time, the moisture migrates into other components of your roof system, such as the roof decking, insulation, drywall, and framing.
The longer water remains entrapped within your home’s structure, the more damage it causes. Wet materials deteriorate faster and lose their strength while insulation becomes less effective and repairs become more complicated, since many areas of your roof system have been affected.
Broken Shingles Make Your Roof More Susceptible to Additional Damage
Shingles provide protection against rain, snow, wind, and sun for your roof. When one or more shingles break, become loose, or are blown off, the layers below are exposed.
This creates four major problems:
- The water flows more easily onto the underlayment
- Wind can lift surrounding shingles
- UV light accelerates the deterioration of roofing materials
- Moisture can penetrate deeper into the roof decking
Rather than just replacing a few shingles, you may find yourself repairing a significantly larger portion of your roof after one year of continuous exposure to the elements.
Problems With Flashing Can Create Invisible Leaks
Flashings seal those areas of your roof where water naturally accumulates, such as near chimneys, skylights, roof valleys, and plumbing vents.
If flashings begin to pull apart, corrode, or lose their seal, water will seep through these gaps long before you would visually notice damage to your home.
Since these leaks typically occur slowly, moisture may collect behind walls or in attics for months prior to appearing as stains on ceilings or walls. By the time you observe damage from leaks in your home, repairs can involve more than simply replacing the flashings. Rotted wood, insulation, and interior finish materials may also require repair.
Regularly inspecting your roof and flashing system will enable you to detect potential issues prior to them becoming costly repairs.
Clogged Gutters Allow Water to Remain on Your Roof
Gutters direct rainwater away from your roof. However, if gutters become clogged with leaves, moss, or debris, then water has no place to flow. Standing water can back up under shingles and along eaves during heavy rainfall events. Additionally, overflowing gutters create a condition whereby water runs down exterior walls and around the perimeter of your home’s foundation.
Cleaning gutters regularly provides one of the easiest methods to minimize unnecessary damage to your roof system and maximize the longevity of your roofing materials.
Once Water Damage Happens, It Doesn’t Stop There
When a roof has a leak, the water damage doesn’t stop there. If the wood is constantly exposed to moisture, it will continue to decay and weaken over time, and the roof decking and framing slowly loses its integrity as the rot continues to spread throughout the area.
In addition to causing damage to the wood, moist conditions provide an ideal environment for mould and moss to grow, which can negatively affect the indoor air quality of your home.
A mould removal process can be much more costly than repairing the initial roof problem. A roof repair that at first only required a few new shingles could ultimately result in structural repairs needed inside the roof assembly.
Waiting Will Cost You More Money Than Fixing It Now
Most homeowners delay making repairs to their roofs simply because the issue seems too minor to justify spending money on. Unfortunately, this decision typically results in increased costs down the road. When a homeowner waits until a year has passed since a minor issue with their roof occurred, the cost to fix that issue has grown exponentially.
What initially would have taken no more than a single day for a qualified roofing technician to complete may now take multiple days due to additional work, such as replacing damaged decking and/or insulation, re-flashing, replacing damaged shingles, etc.
Early Action Saves Time & Money
Identifying and resolving all issues prior to any roof emergency repairs occurring will save you both time and money. Regularly inspecting your roof allows you to catch any potential issues prior to them developing into larger issues that can be very costly. Burnaby’s wet climate provides ample opportunity for these types of issues to happen.
Therefore, annual roof assessments are highly recommended, especially during the months following winter storms or extended periods of heavy rainfall. Routine maintenance will extend the lifespan of your roof by allowing for wear and tear to be addressed quickly.
Prevent Larger Issues By Addressing Small Problems Early On
Your roof is what keeps everything under it safe and dry. Allowing even small roof issues to go unaddressed for one year or more gives water, moisture and weather sufficient time to cause bigger damage than most Burnaby homeowners expect.
If you notice missing shingles, experience a leak, damaged flashing, or overflowing gutters, don’t just ignore them. Addressing these small issues early on not only reduces the amount of money spent on repairs but also decreases the likelihood of having to make structural repairs to your home and ensures that your roof performs as intended for many years.