Your roof has to protect your home from wind, rain, blazing sun, falling branches, and a host of other things. That’s a lot to deal with it, so it stands to reason that over the years, it may develop some problems. It’s important to regularly check for damage and leaks, and to get any problems fixed as soon as possible. The longer you ignore the problem, the more damage will occur and the more the repairs will cost. Here are some of the more common roof problems that can occur:
Leaks
When your roof starts leaking, you may not discover it straight away because the water will leak into the roof cavity and go unnoticed. When water starts to leak from your ceiling, there’s a good chance that major damage has already happened. You can do a visual check of your roof without climbing a ladder, but you should also check the roof cavity regularly for signs of damage and call a professional roof repair service.
Sagging Roof Timbers and Supports
Older roofs can suffer from sagging roof beams and unstable supports, which will cause major problems and make your roof very unsafe. Problems like this need to be addressed immediately to prevent the roof from falling in, leaking, or damaging the rest of the house.
Animals, Birds, and Insects
Roofs create the perfect environment for rodents like rats and mice, possums, bird nests, and termites and wood borers. Prevention is always better than cure, so plug and seal any places where they might gain access. Once they get into your roof, it can be hard to find and remove them, and they can do considerable damage.
Termites and wood borers can eat the wooden supports and undermine the structural integrity of your roof. Possums, rats and mice can chew through essential wires and cables. Birds can build nests in chimneys and ventilation systems, and their droppings can eat away at vulnerable roofing materials.
If you suspect you have animals or insects living in your roof, call a pest control company to remove them, and then address the damage they’ve caused by getting it repaired as soon as possible. You’ll also need to block any gaps that allow pests to re-enter your roof cavity.
Tree Branches
Having trees branches growing over your roof can cause damage when high winds make them rub against the roof materials, or worse, break off and crash through the roof. Although it’s nice to have shade from trees during summer, be sure to remove any tree limbs that get too close to your roof. Also make sure to monitor the health of your trees. Sick and dying trees are more vulnerable to breaking and falling in wild weather.
Prevent Roof Damage with Air Roofing
With regular roof maintenance, you can avoid many of the common hazards that can damage your roof. For a free roof health check, or to enquire about repairing your damaged roof, call Air Roofing on 08 6166 0545, or contact us online.
