Avoid Costly Mistakes with Your Commercial Roof: Evaluate Damage Indicators First!
The roof is a very important part of any building. When owners experience some issues, they are not sure if they need to replace their roofs or if repairing will be enough. However, it is very important to know if your roof requires replacement or repair. Because you need to plan your budget for that and schedule your work accordingly. It is more important for commercial roofs, as they are usually large and will take more time to repair or replace. But for an owner, it’s not easy to understand if it needs to be replaced or repaired. But there are some damage signs, which can help to detect the problem early. If you will be able to find the right solution, you can save money and time.
Damage indicators
Following is the list of damage indicators, which can help you to understand the problems your roof is facing.
Water stains
The problem can be as tiny as a single missing shingle. When a shingle is replaced due to any reason, water can enter the roof through this spot. Rainwater can saturate some spots and eventually it can seep into the other roof layers. When water makes puddles, and it stays for a long time, it leaves stains on the roof. If leakage is near a wall, you can see water stains near the wall as well.
Water puddles on the floor
If you see a water puddle on the floor, it’s a sign of roof leakage. It is a serious leakage and may ask for a replacement. When water leaks in large quantities, instead of seeping it starts flowing inside the roof layers and makes a puddle on the floor when an exit is available.
Granules collection
With time granules lose their strength, and environmental factors gradually weaken them. If you see a lot of granules in gutters, it means you need to repair your roof. Shingles act as a protective layer and for the long life of the roof, the protective layer must be intact.
Clogged gutters
Granules will ultimately clog roof gutters. If gutters are clogged, they will not drain the rainwater efficiently. The result will be roof leaks and it can cause damage to your foundation too. So, keeping an eye on gutters is very important.
Cracked and broken shingles
Cracked and broken shingles are the root cause of almost all roofing problems. When shingles are broken, they allow the rainwater to seep and roof damage starts. You can easily see broken shingles even from the ground. So, address the issue as soon as possible. If they are few in number, you can replace them with new ones, but if many are missing or broken replace the whole layer.
Mold growth
When water seeps into the roof and remains undetected, it dries after a few days and the damp environment becomes a foundation for mold growth. You can experience a smell in your room and that is a clear sign of mold.
Storm damage
Storms are damaging everything outdoors. You will see the signs of damage on the yard and ground. It means your roof is no exception and it’s very important to check your roof after a storm. It’s better to call an expert roof inspector, to know the exact extent of the damage.
Issues in attic
Occasionally visit your attic and see if everything is fine there. Sometimes the seepage is very small and it’s not visible on the roof. But you can see rotten wood or mold in your attic. It reflects there is some hidden leakage, which is not visible. To spot the problem, you may need to call an expert. Such hidden problems are difficult to find for owners.
Understand some facts about your roof
As the owner of the building, you need to understand that every roof has a lifespan. No matter what type of material you use, you need to replace the roof after some time. Usually, a roof has twenty years of life, which is much less than a building. So, if the building is in good condition, it doesn’t mean that the roof is also in good condition. If your roof was installed ten years ago, and you are facing these problems you can consider repairing it. However, if the life of your roof is more than fifteen years, you must consider replacing it. If you repair it, it will be a waste of money as after a few years you may need to replace the roof completely.
When it comes to the life of the roof, many factors contribute to it. The material used in construction is important but other than that climate of the area and your maintenance routine also play an important role. Moreover, keep an eye on the frequency of the problems. If you face roof issues very frequently it means you need to replace it now. However, if the frequency is very low, repairing can be an option. The most frequent problems are cracks, leakage, and saturation. If you see these signs, you need to inspect the roof or call a roof inspector.
Another tool can be the increasing energy bills. When there are leaks and cracks your energy bills increase. However, the rise may not be very obvious. It may take months to realize that your bill has increased in the past few months. When we talk about energy bills, various other factors contribute. The increased cost of energy and wasteful usage are some other common reasons, so people don’t consider it as an indication of roof damage.
Verdict
Commercial places need safe roofing. To ensure the good condition of the roof, you need to inspect the roof regularly. If you see any problem, try to fix it as soon as possible. A delay can lead to other problems and you may have to spend a good amount of money to reverse the problem. For inspection and repair, hire an experienced contractor. He will find the problem in a short time and will suggest the best possible solution for that.
About Gold Key Roofing
Our highly trained, certified roofing professionals inspect, test, evaluate and calculate all the necessary data from your project to provide your home with the ultimate protection – providing you with time-tested peace of mind.
In an industry where many roofers are in business today and out-of-business tomorrow, it is unusual to find a company like Gold Key Roofing with our experience and proven record of quality and reliability since 1975.
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