5 Ways To Prevent Roof Damage

If you need a roof repair, the worst thing you could do is delay and neglect until it grows worse and causes damage to your home’s interior (think leak!) But even better than taking care of an existing roof problem is preventing it to begin with.

In that vein, here are 5 top tips on how to prevent roof damage and extend the life of your roofing:

1. Investigate Your Attic
A good place to start with roof damage prevention is in your attic. Go up in the middle of the day, leave the attic light off, and see if there are any points where light is shining in from the outside – light and air leaks can become water leaks in a storm, even if they aren’t ordinarily.Look for stains or discoloration on rafters, plywood, and the wood beams of the attic floor. Look for insulation on the attic floor that is damaged. These are signs of where it might have been leaking during rainstorms.

2. Have Your Roofing Inspected
It’s always a good time to get your roofing inspected, but in Florida, right before hurricane season or before winter is ideal. But whenever it is done, an annual inspection by a professional contractor will reveal any weaknesses or damage to your roof you were unaware of and allow you to “nip it in the bud” before the problem grows worse.

Roof inspectors will look for shingles that are not securely fastened or that are bent, bowed, cracked, or broken. They will also look for flashing that has been moved out of place, roof cement around chimneys and vents that may have cracked, hail impacts, and other tell-tale signs.

3. Gear Up For Robust Storm Resistance
To better protect your roof from storm damage, you may also want to add roofing cement underneath shingle tabs, especially those that may be loose or tend to pop up.

And putting starter shingles along the eaves helps greatly too. Starter shingles are specially designed for extreme wind resistance right where wind damage is most likely to occur otherwise.

If your roofing is old or of poor quality, consider re-roofing with a higher-quality shingle with better wind resistance, UV light resistance, a tougher water barrier, and a longer life expectancy.

4. Remove Potential Wind-missiles & Falling Branches
A major cause of serious damage to roofs and to Florida homes in general is the presence of debris in the yard that can be easily picked up and made a “wind-missile” during a hurricane.

Clearing all junk off your property and trimming back trees that overhang your roof greatly reduces your risk. Any trees that are dead but still standing should be removed completely.

5. Reduce “Heat Death” Of Shingles
In the hot, hot Florida sun, shingles are put to the test for a great deal of the year. Higher grade, UV resistant roofing is one way to fight the heat. Another key factor is being sure a quality underlayment separates your shingles from the roof deck.

Finally, adding attic ventilation and/or a radiant barrier on the attic ceiling can help reduce heat and moisture problems that may affect both the longevity of both the wood and shingles that constitute your roof.

If in need of a roof repair, or for more helpful advice on how to avoid the need for a roof repair, contact Sheegog Contracting in Central Florida today!