CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004 FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM
At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
Common Roof Problems
That roof over your head, the one that keeps you dry and protects you from the elements? It will weather storms, wind, sleet, and snow for decades, but it won’t last forever. There are a handful of potential issues – old or torn shingles, worn-out flashing, clogged gutters, and more – that will degrade the roof. It’s can be a gradual process. First a loose shingle or worn piece of flashing lets in a little water, then decay develops, and soon you have water ruining your house. The best thing to do is to fix these small problems before they grow into big, expensive ones.
Signs you have a roof leak
A leak in your roof doesn’t have to present itself as a torrent or even a steady drip, drip, drip. If you suddenly find a wet spot on your ceiling or a stain on it that keeps growing, you may have a small leak. If you have access to your attic, look inside at the area above the leak. Do you see wet insulation or stained areas on the sheathing or rafters? You may even want to have someone soak targeted areas of the roof with a hose while you examine below. Once you’ve found the leak, you’ll have to find the corresponding problem on the surface of the roof.
Common Roofing Repairs
Loose, torn, or missing shingles
Your roof shingles protect your home’s interior from potentially costly water damage. They also help insulate your home, holding down your heating and cooling bills. Also, if you want to sell your home, good shingles enhance curb appeal. If your roof shingles are falling off, bent, or otherwise seriously damaged, you should call a professional as soon as possible.
Vent boots
The rubber boot around the plumbing vents can develop cracks or tears. If the aluminum flashing is not leaking, it may be possible to replace just the boot. Call a professional for a roof inspection and boot replacement.
Other Common Roofing Problems
Leaks can also occur around other areas of the roof’s flashing, such as the counter flashing surrounding the chimney, or the step flashing at the base of a dormer or adjacent wall. If the counter flashing around your chimney is leaking, use roof sealant to repair cracks and glue individual pieces back down.
If you find a leak in the step flashing along a dormer, a sidewall, or around a skylight, there are two options. The first is to replace the flashing, which means you have to strip away the shingles and siding in that area, then reverse the process by installing new flashing and siding. The second option is to repair the damaged flashing with a judicious application of roof sealant. The trick here is to keep the sealant’s surface relatively smooth – big beads or lumps of sealant can actually divert water, preventing it from draining properly. Nails used to secure flashing should not be exposed; if they are exposed, apply sealant to their heads. In some cases, repair is only a stopgap until the flashing can be replaced with the rest of the roof.
Ice dams
If you live where the winters are cold, you may have experienced leaks caused by so-called ice dams. Warm air escaping from the attic through the eaves causes a freeze-and-thaw cycle at the edge of the roof. Ice builds up, hits the warm air, and as it melts, water finds its way under the shingles and into the house. Don’t try to chop the ice away—it just damages the shingles and doesn’t solve the problem. You can install a roof de-icing cable, but a more permanent solution involves blocking air leaks in your attic, increasing your insulation, and possibly having a roofer install a self-adhesive membrane and new shingles along the roof’s perimeter.
Gutters
If not routinely maintained, gutters can cause problems with your roof as well. The solution is to clean and inspect the gutters at least once a year. If your gutters are older, you may find that repairs are in order. Make sure that the gutter’s attachment to the fascia is solid and replace hangers as necessary. Use a caulk gun fitted with a tube of roof sealant to patch leaky seams.
Moss
If your house is even partially shaded, portions of the roof that don’t get any sun may grow patches of moss. If you’re a hobbit, you may think that’s a good thing, but for the rest of us, moss is a problem. It gets under shingles, breaking their seal and causing leaks. It promotes decay in all types of roofing materials, notably cedar and asphalt shingles.
CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004 FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM
A leak in your roof doesn’t have to present itself as a torrent or even a steady drip, drip, drip. If you suddenly find a wet spot on your ceiling or a stain on it that keeps growing, you may have a small leak. If you have access to your attic, look inside at the area above the leak. Do you see wet insulation or stained areas on the sheathing or rafters? You may even want to have someone soak targeted areas of the roof with a hose while you examine below. Once you’ve found the leak, you’ll have to find the corresponding problem on the surface of the roof.
If your house is even partially shaded, portions of the roof that don’t get any sun may grow patches of moss. If you’re a hobbit, you may think that’s a good thing, but for the rest of us, moss is a problem. It gets under shingles, breaking their seal and causing leaks. It promotes decay in all types of roofing materials, notably cedar and asphalt shingles.