Which weather conditions are the worst for your roof? You may be surprised. Here are your roof’s health’s top enemies. Check out the damage they can do:
Heavy Rain
You may be surprised that something as common as rain would be one of the worst weather conditions for your roof. That’s one of the reasons why it is so dangerous. Heavy rainfall can happen nearly anywhere, in any season. Heavy rainfall is also an expert at finding the weakest spots on your roof and infiltrating them. Leaks happen shortly after heavy rain and they can be tough to pin down before they do significant damage. Small cracks and flaws across your roof may be exploited.
Heavy rain also comes with a few other roof dangers. First, long-term rainfall does not give your roof a chance to dry out, which means materials will be more susceptible to rotting even if you don’t have any leaks. Second, rain can cause pooling on flat or commercial rooftops, which leads to moisture damage. It’s no wonder that bad rainfall is responsible for so many roof repairs across the country.
Windstorms
From tornados and hurricanes to the average winter flurry, wind is especially dangerous for your roof. Common shingles and tiles are light enough to be torn away by powerful winds, especially if they are old or already loose. After a bad storm, you can expect an important patching and repair project to protect your roof from following storms. Strong winds can also hurl debris at your roof and cause punctures, tears, and other problems.
Hailstorms
Normally, hail is worse than rain. However, hail is also rare, so the typical roof doesn’t suffer much from it. However, if you live in a climate that gets nasty hail weather conditions with large hailstones, then one good storm can cause widespread damage. Heavy, fast-hitting hail can indeed hurt shingles. Hail can even tear at the underlayment underneath the shingles. Then, when rain falls, you suddenly find a dozen new leaks to worry about. This is in addition to the damage hail can do to your windows and siding.
Snow and Ice
In some ways it seems like snow isn’t a major problem for your roof – after all, it provides a barrier for protection and it takes a whole lot of snow to cause a roof collapse, which is very rare. The real problems begin when snow and ice start to melt. This can create ice dams at the edge of your roof and can force moisture up under your flashing and shingles. It can also quickly wear down more fragile roof materials. Because the damage is covered up by snow, you may not even notice the problem until you start seeing leak damage.
If you’re fearful your roof can’t stand up to the conditions laid out above, contact the experts. Reach out to Findlay Roofing to main sure your roof remains maintained, ready, and in-tact.