Few homeowners pay much attention to their roof after its installation. The lack of maintenance of your roof nonetheless often leads to water damage. This is evidenced by the appearance of discolored spots on different parts of your ceiling as well as mold growth. Repairing water-damaged roofs is expensive and time-consuming. Waiting for when you have saved enough money to fix the roof, on the other hand, carries the risk of it caving in and causing significant financial losses on your part.
One of the common causes of water damage after metal roof installation is shingle deterioration. Most modern shingles are designed to withstand adverse weather conditions such as wind speeds of 90 miles per hour, hurricanes, and tornados. However, when exposed to most outdoor elements for an extended period without regular maintenance, these shingles deteriorate. Here are the typical forms of shingle damage that might contribute to water damage on roofs.
Blisters
These result from the expansion of volatile gases when released from the roof’s asphalt layer. Gases migrate to the surface of the shingles and cause their top layer to erode and eventually blister. You, unfortunately, cannot stop blistering once it starts, and you will have to replace your entire roof. To prevent this, you should ensure the roof is adequately ventilated. Professional roofers also avoid the installation of shingles over wet surfaces like roof decks and wet felt paper to prevent blistering.
Curling
This denotes the lifting and curling of shingles along their perimeter. Treatment of curling involves the application of extra sealant layer on the underside of the affected shingles. The sealant will reseal the curled corners of the shingles to your roofing. To prevent curling, your roof should be well-ventilated. Roofing experts also avoid the installation of an extra roofing layer over a pre-existing one. This is because roofs constructed this way are highly prone to shingle curling.
Cupping
This damage type connotes shingles concaving from their midpoints. This causes a wavy and cup-like appearance of the shingles. Cupping is often attributed to the age-related wear of an organic or asphalt shingle roof. Unfortunately, cupped shingles call for the replacement of your entire roof. Optimal roof ventilation, nonetheless, also minimizes the risk of cupping.
Hail Bruising
This follows damage to your shingles’ surfaces and mats by hailstones. This, in turn, compromises the shedding capability of the shingles. Depending on the extent of damage, you might need to pay for some minor roof repairs, but some situations call for extensive roof replacement. Fortunately, hail bruising is covered in most homeowners’ insurance policies if you live in a region with frequent hail storms per year.
Shingles are among the most important parts of your roof. The above forms of damage thus have a significant effect on the effectiveness of your roof as a form of water damage protection for your property. It is, however, challenging for the untrained eye to notice them. Periodic maintenance of your roof by professionals is your best bet for catching the above shingle damage types in their initial stages. At this time, it will be cheap and easy to fix the damage.