Wichita, KS
El Dorado, KS
Dodge City, KS
Salina, KS
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Wichita, KS
El Dorado, KS
Dodge City, KS
Salina, KS
Garden City, KS
Manhattan, KS
The roof is an essential part of your home. It provides defense against rain, snow, wind, heat, and hazardous weather elements. Your roof is exposed to dangerous weather elements, which, over time, contribute to its deterioration and, finally, damage if proper maintenance is not done.
A healthy roof protects your house and occupants from dangerous weather elements. Many house owners pay little or no attention to little things ranging from minor leaks that require immediate maintenance to significant cracking and damage to the roof. Here are common problems that can lead to quality damage to your roof. Meanwhile, repairing a roof is very dangerous and should only be done by a professional roof repairer.
Contact Sunflower State Exteriors LLC for roofing repairs and reroofing services in Wichita, KS, and surrounding areas.
A roof leak is the most common roof problem, and over 90% of damaged roofs result from a roof leak. Roof leaks are caused by lack of maintenance, cracked flashings, and broken shingles or slates. Water comes in through ragged and broken shingles, poorly sealed or corroded roof flashings, and loosed nails in the roof. The problem with a roof leak is that once water passes through the roof, it flows along the rafter or sheathings until it finds a place to drip down, making it extremely difficult to locate its origin.
Leaks in the roof are caused by poor roof material and poor roof installation, damage by weather, ice dam build-up, improperly sealed valleys, broken vents, shingles, or cracked flash.
Roof leaks cause reduced thermal insulation of the roof and allow the build-up of molds, causing structural and functional damage.
As wind or rain develops strength during severe weather conditions, they exert pressure on overgrown trees, which can cause them to crash into a roof. If a tree is close to the home, it can inflict harsh damage. Even its branches can rip off the top layer of the roof tiles, exposing the roof and causing severe leaks.
Tree damage also can be caused by weak tree limbs and improper maintenance. Trees closely situated to homes should be trimmed regularly or cut down completely to prevent potential damage.
It is essential to properly inspect the roof to remove leaves, dirt, and pine needles off the top. When these leaves trap moisture and dirt, it allows weed and algae growth on the roof, leading to potential leaks and rotting. Poor maintenance causes the growth of unwanted vegetation and debris. The growth and development of algae make roof surfaces slippery, causing safety hazards to rooftop workers.
All roofing systems are susceptible to ponding water. The absence of a roof slope is the primary cause of this damage. The lack of pitch allows water to pool, forming ponds on rooftops.
When water ponds, it allows microbial growth and proliferation, causing accelerated deterioration and premature aging in roofing materials. Experts state that water should not stand on the roof for more than 48 hours. Water reacts with roofing membranes, changing the chemical composition of the material. Ponding of water also attracts environmental debris. Clogs, inadequate drainage, and obstruction in gutters cause ponding water.
Quality metal flashing and adequate drainage systems prevent ponding water, subsequent deterioration, and damage to the roof.
Roof puncture is also a pervasive roof problem and is more complicated and perturbing on single-ply roofing membranes. Roof punctures are hole(s) created in roofing materials by weight or sharp objects that punches through the roof or roofing material, creating a small hole.
Punctures are also dangerous roof problems because they are more challenging to locate and are very easy to miss than any other type of roof problem. It is one of the leading causes of a roof leak, allowing water and moisture to pass through the roof membrane easily. A flat roof is more at risk than a slanted roof because a slanted roof can dislocate weight easily.
Roof puncture is mainly caused by contractor damage. Careless behavior, incompetency, and misuse of the roofing contractor's tools can lead to roof punctures. Holes and cuts can also be generated from removing or installing HVAC systems. Roof punctures are also caused by foot traffic. Roof punctures also occur when debris falls on the roof, leaving a large hole or puncture leading to leaks and cracks.
Roofs can shrink when the atmospheric temperature drops and the weather gets too cold. It occurs mainly on Extreme Durable Synthetic Rubber roofs and modified bitumen roofs. It can also happen in all other roof coverings. Roof shrinkage is caused by poor installation, exposure to excess and hazardous weather conditions, aging of material leading to deterioration, cracking and breaking of sheaths and shingles, causing roof leak, and leading to complete roof damage.
Improper damage repair will worsen a roof's condition, drastically increasing the deterioration. Improper repairs are also common roof problems caused by incompetency, inadequate knowledge about the roof's state, inability to comprehend the roof problem, incompatible material, and lack of experience. These are the main reasons you must look for a reputable and experienced roofer. Improper repair causes significant damage from leaks, standing water, and cracks.
The biggest threat to the durability of a roof is poor maintenance. Poor maintenance ranging from lack of inspection due to a busy schedule to ignoring potential threats leads to flashing failure, membrane degradation, blocked or inadequate drainage, leaks, punctures, and total damage.
Proper maintenance effectively neutralizes the daily and periodic abuse your roof takes from extreme weather conditions. Prompt care can minimize roof problems and extend the durability of roofing.
It is essential for every homeowner to properly inspect their roof periodically to ensure no damage exists and to detect potential threats. Only hire a competent contractor or roofer for roof installation or repair. Call Sunflower State Exteriors LLC today for more information.
