Roofing In Seattle Washington Area is Rewarding With its Share Of Obstacles
Making sure that you are able to keep your Seattle roof in good condition is very critical when it comes to ensuring that your home is able to stay in good shape all the time. Your roofing system is a vital part of any home since it is able to offer the most effective kind of protection from elements and harsh weather conditions. Therefore, if your roof has a problem, it is advisable that you make sure that it is repaired as soon as you can. However, it is very unfortunate that many homeowners are not able to identify most of these roofing problems as soon as they start to form. They also do not take the time to contact a roofing expert to do the repairs for them only until the entire situation has worsened for the worst.
Hiring the right roofing expert or contractor will ensure that you are able to get roofing repairs that are of the highest quality whenever you need them. It is also a way in which you can be able to guarantee that your roofing system is always going to be in good condition. Also, hiring the same expert for regular roofing maintenance is one of the ways in which you can be able to detect some of the common challenges that many Seattle Washington homeowners are usually faced with. The earlier you identify the problem, the better it is going to be for you to get the problem repaired before the problems become major.
Some of the most common roofing challenges that are faced in Seattle Washington have been mentioned below.
-
Roof leaks
This is possibly one of the most common challenges that many homeowners are usually faced with. Leaks can occur with just any type of roofing material that you decide to make use of. However, the most important thing for you to do is to make sure that you take care of these leaks as soon as possible before you are faced with another water damage situation. However, the most important thing for you to do is to find out the exact cause of the roofing problem. There are usually two main causes of roof leaks. A roof leak may be as a result of a flashing damage or a joint damage. Each of them have been better explained below
- Flashing damage. The flashing method on a roof is the type which is used when there is something that is sticking up through your roof. This may either be pipes, a chimney or a vent and the flashing method is used so as to protect your roof from any leaks. As years go by, part of your flashing roof may become weak which as a result; rain can start going underneath your shingles. This is what is known as flushing damage. However, the good thing about this is that if the problem is detected early enough, then the area that has been affected can easily be resealed and repaired. If the problem is not taken care of as soon as possible, then you may have to spend a lot of money on extensive repairs.
- Joints damage. Joints are the ones which normally located between the chimney and the roofing or between the two sloped sections of your roof. These are the parts of your roof that are highly likely to suffer from a roof leak. The good thing about them is that they are not that difficult to have them fixed. All you need to do is to hire a skilled roofing expert or contractor who has all the right experience and skills in this area to repair for you.
- Damage from the weather
Seattle Washington homeowners always have to deal with the stress that comes with roof damage as a result of the weather. The worst part about this type of damage is that you may not be able to control it since the weather is something that no one can be able to control. All roofing materials are normally designed in a way that they are able to protect your home from any weather. They are also built in a way that they are able to withstand rain, wind and snow. However, you should know that your roof is the going to be the first one to get damaged in your Seattle Washington home when you’re hit by a storm. As time goes by, you will find that small ranges of weather damage are going to start to grow in serious problems that may end up costing you a lot of money to have them fixed. In the case that your shingles become loose, wind can end up slipping underneath them, and this will result to them been pulled up. When this happens, your roof is going to be susceptible to more severe storm damage.
The Wind is also a very serious challenge that many Seattle Washington homeowners are usually faced with. With the wind, there doesn’t have to be a strong storm since even strong gusts that may take place on a sunny day may cause shingles to be lifted and worse still they may tear off altogether. Signs that this might have happened to your roof may be pieces or shingles on the ground, and in some cases, you may find your entire shingles on the ground.
- The sun’s UV rays
The sun’s UV rays can also be a challenging factor to Seattle Washington homeowners since it can play a big role in the deterioration of your roof. This may be especially the case if your roof is made out of asphalt shingles. What happens is that they can either crack, become dry and they can even blister which may result in them becoming loose on their surface leading to them falling off. When this happens to your roof, there is going to be so little to protect underneath your sheathing. This is also going to cause your roof to be exposed further to more serious damages.
- Overhanging trees
Limbs from overhanging trees can also be another challenging factor that can rub onto your roof and cause serious problems. When the rubbing takes place, this is going to lead to the wearing out of the protective layer of your roofing system, and the surface of your shingles are also going to be affected as well. Branches may even start to fall off which may end up creating even more serious damage that may be expensive to repair. The best way for you to avoid this kind of roofing problem is by making sure that all the tree limbs around your home or near your Seattle Washington home are trimmed. The trimming should be done back away from the roof as much as possible. In the case whereby there is a tree that is too close to your home, the best thing for you to do is to cut it off completely since this poses to be a serious threat to your home.
- Ice and Snow
Ice and snow are also common challenges that may end up challenging your entire roofing system. This is a common challenge that many Seattle Washington homeowners are faced with especially during winter. When the ice and the snow melts, it can make its way to the shingles, and it may also flash through. When the water refreezes back, it can end up lifting the flashing and the shingles which are not a good thing since more water is going to gain access. During the winter period, it is important for you to take the time to check your roofing every spring. You could also hire an expert to check it for you so that you can be able to make sure that everything is in check. Doing this is important since if you find that your shingles or flushing is damaged, you can get them repaired before they become damaged even further.
- Insects
Insects are also another challenge since not only are they a serious problem to your foundation, but they can also find their way through your roof. The woodpeckers’ type of birds will end up making holes along the eaves of your roof looking for smaller insects that they can feed on. Carpenter ants, termites, and other gnawing insects may end up chewing away the tunnel that is normally through the fascia boards and eaves that are normally around the roof. Also, in their search for food, insects are the ones which tend to attract other animals which may also end up damaging your entire roofing structure. Taking the time to get rid of all the insects may be another way of also solving problems that may occur as a result of other animals.
- Small forms of wildlife and birds
Small forms of wildlife and birds can also end up causing a very serious problem and bring about damage to your roof. As mentioned earlier, woodpeckers may end up making holes looking for insects. With time, some of these holes that they make may end up becoming large leaving the roofing wood exposed to moisture which as a result may start to rot. Also, other animals like raccoons may end up pulling the flashing and the shingles as they try to find their way to the attic. You could hire a roofing expert who will be able to help you find out different ways in which you can be able to prevent these kinds of animals from damaging and gaining access to your roof. If you are faced with such a damage, then it is also advisable that you make sure that you are able to repair this kind of damage as soon as you get to notice it.
- Broken or clogged gutters
Broken and clogged gutters may also be another problem that you may be faced with. Water can end up backing up and seeping into the eaves of your roof. When this happens, this will automatically cause your roof to start rotting. For you to be able to avoid this kind of roofing challenge, it is advisable for you to make sure that you check your gutters regularly or hire an expert to perform regular maintenance on your roof. You should also make sure that you take the time to clean out any kind of debris especially during the fall period. Another effective way in which you can be able to prevent this kind of problem is by adding screens to the top of your gutters so that you can be able to keep twigs and leaves out. Doing this is going to make your job a whole lot easier.
- An attic that is poorly ventilated
When your attic does not have proper ventilation, then this may end up shortening its lifespan. What happens is that when your attic is too warm during the summer period, then what will happen is that your shingles are going to become very hot from the inside and in turn become brittle and dry. When it is too warm during winter, this is going to melt down the ice, and then the ice will freeze back causing the flashing and the shingles to be lifted.
- Not been able to do proper roof maintenance
Lack of proper maintenance may also be another challenge that a Seattle Washington homeowner may be faced with. This is especially so when you think about the busy lifestyles that many people have nowadays. Taking the time or hiring an expert to do regular maintenance may be a serious challenge. Ho0wever, you should know that most of common roofing problems and challenges tend to start out as minor ones. When these problems are not solved or corrected in time, then this is what ends up creating serious damage as mentioned earlier. You need to always keep in mind that having routine maintenance and inspection for your roofing system is one of the ways in which you can be able to make sure that your roof is in good shape, its life is extended. No matter how much of a challenge this may be or no matter how busy your schedule may be, doing this will end up saving you a lot of money.
What to do When You Have Roof Damage
When your roof gets damaged as a result of a storm, it is important for you to make sure that you are able to get immediate help. Finding the right solution is an effective way of being able to stop the rain from causing serious damage that may also end up affecting the interior part of your home. One of the most common problems that many Seattle Washington homeowners go through when this happens is that they are at times not able to get in touch with a roofing expert or company immediately. One of the main reasons as to why this is the case is because, during windy storms, it may be difficult to get hold of a roofing expert because they are already dealing with many different requests.
For you to be able to make sure that you do not find yourself in such a situation, the best thing for you to do is to look for the right emergency roofing expert or company early. Doing this before you are even faced with an emergency can help you deal with the situation that you are. If you are looking for the right roofing expert to hire, you could always go online and do your research as you look at the different reviews of the different experts that you find. You could also go ahead and ask your colleagues, friends, family members and your neighbors for good referrals. The most convenient thing for you to do is to hire a roofing expert that is within your locality in this case Seattle Washington. Doing so will ensure that anytime you are faced with an emergency, that the expert is able to come to your rescue as soon as possible. It is also a way in which you can be able to save on travel costs.
Emergency flat roofing repair
There are many types of flat roofing that you can be able to find in the market today. However, this type of roofing installation tends to suffer a lot of roof leaks, especially during the stormy weather. If you are looking to hire a company that is able to offer services based on flat roofs, it would also be a good idea to look at the ones that tend to offer repair as well. You could also go ahead and make use of maintenance programs that are provided by different roofing companies in Seattle Washington at affordable rates.
You could also ask the roofing company if they offer coating system services and how much they charge. This type of service is essential since it is a way of ensuring that you do not have to replace your entire roof or pay the extra costs that come with tearing it off.
