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Residential Roofing Problems – What Are The Most Common Ones?

Homeowners call on residential roofing contractors every day to make repairs to their roofs.

Among the most common reasons why people need the services of residential roofers, most are preventable.

Naturally, nobody can control Mother Nature; however, residential roof companies find that any roof can more easily weather storms if it is kept in great shape.

1. Leaks

The most common reason why homeowners call for help from a residential roofing contractor is that they discovered a leak in the ceiling of their house.

With so many potential causes, leaks are the most common repair made by residential roofers and a frequent secondary result of the other problems in this list.

The best way to prevent leaks and the problems that lead to them is with regular semi-annual roofing inspections and by providing proper maintenance.

2. Damage to Flashing or Seals

Flashing is the plastic or metal strips that cover exposed ends of the roofing material where they come together in valleys.

Seals are plastic, rubber, or tar covers that surround the exposed roofing edges around protrusions like vents, vent pipes, and skylights.

Residential roof companies find that missing or damaged flashing or seals are one of the most common causes of leaks that are later detected after enough water damage has resulted.

When these susceptible areas go unprotected and water gets in and saturates the underlayment and decking in that area, it is only a matter of time before the leaking starts.

3. Missing or Broken Shingles

Whether due to high winds, hail damage, or some other cause, broken and missing shingles can lead to a variety of roofing problems if not repaired right away.

It is not uncommon for one or two shingles to break or blow off during a storm.

Residential roofing contractors stress that just a single missing shingle can affect the watertight nature of the roof, causing water damage in that area that over time can lead to leaking and more.

4. Granules Falling Off

A common problem that residential roofers encounter with asphalt shingle roofs is the protective granule coating falling off.

Homeowners typically notice this either by seeing the bare spots developing on their shingles or by seeing the granules collecting in their gutters.

In either case, this is usually a symptom of widespread damage that leaves the shingles unprotected and more susceptible to UV, wind, rain, and hail damage.

Unfortunately, if most of the granules fall off, the roof will usually need to be completely replaced.

Granules falling off can be caused by a variety of problems, from hail damaging the shingles as well a poor ventilation overheating and bowing them to a manufacturer defect that affects the adherence of the coating.

5. Tree Damage

Tree damage is unfortunately one more very common reason why residential roof companies are called by homeowners in need of roofing repair.

Heavy tree branches or even entire trees falling on the roof can cause a wide range of damage, from broken shingles to complete cave-ins.

Trees close to the house can scrape the shingles and break them.

The solution for tree damage like this is to always keep trees close to the house trimmed back to prevent scrapes and dropped branches.

Know Top Causes of Roof Problems To Avoid Them

Avoiding the need for expensive repairs by residential roofing contractors starts with knowing the main causes of those problems.

Leaks and their various causes are by far the most common reasons why residential roofers are called by homeowners, but not the only reason.

Experienced residential roof companies suggest that the easiest way to avoid these problems is to schedule regular roofing inspections, then follow through with recommended roofing maintenance!