Not all storm damage to your roof is noticeable.
In fact, much of the damage caused by roof leaks from storm damage doesn’t get noticed until long after the storm ends.
East Texas is known for its big storms that often bring heavy rain, driving winds, and hail. Tornadoes are not uncommon. East Texas roofing companies such as Steele Roofing in Tyler and Longview, Texas offer services such as emergency roof tarping, emergency roof repair, storm restoration services, storm damage roof inspections, etc. for the instances when it’s necessary to immediately address wind roof damage, hail damage, and any other roof damage repairs.
When you have storm damage to your roof it’s necessary to contact a local roofing company in East Texas and have the issues addressed immediately. This is important not only to mitigate damage to your roof, but also for insurance purposes. Contact your insurance company and find out exactly what they need for you to make a claim.
But what about that leak that showed up long after the storm ended?
Insulation Saturation
If you’ve developed a roof leak and you’re not sure where it’s coming from, saturated insulation could be the culprit. Sometimes a leak develops and water seeps directly into the insulation in your home’s attic, crawlspace, or whatever subspace is directly below your roof. The leak may not become noticeable until the insulation is fully saturated with water. At this point, you’re also at risk for mold and mildew growth. If you notice a roof leak, contact your local roofing company in East Texas for an inspection.
Natural Weathering
Sometimes, the strong winds in those big East Texas storms dislodge your roofing materials and roof shingles, but not enough to be immediately noticeable, allowing rainwater to slowly make its way into your roof.
The natural shifting of structural materials contracting and expanding from the elements and changing temperatures from hot to cold cause cracks to occur where rainwater can enter.
Big storms—especially storms that happen back-to-back—dump large amounts of rain that builds up in these gaps, eventually causing roof leaks. These leaks cause structural damage that, if left undetected long
enough, can even lead to the necessity of a roof replacement. Have your roof inspected regularly by a professional local roofer to avoid expensive roof damage from a leak.
Clean Your Gutters
One common way leaks develop has a simple solution: make sure you regularly clean your roof gutters. This is especially true if you have trees around your home that frequently drop leaves and sticks onto your roof and into your gutters. Dams caused from not cleaning the gutters form leaks. Leaves, sticks, and other organic matter create a blockage, causing a dam to form. This collection of organic materials heats up and begins to break down and rot in the hot East Texas summer sun. As more debris piles up, the subsequent rainstorms cause water to be pushed underneath the shingles.
Cleaning your gutters can be a roof safety issue, as it can be dangerous to climb up a ladder to get to your gutters. Contact a professional local roofer to regularly have your roof cleaned and inspected. In these instances, spending money in the short terms saves you more in the long term.
Flashing
Most causes of roof leaks are not immediately visible from the ground, which is why it’s necessary to have an inspection by an East Texas roofing contractor if you suspect you might have a roof leak.
Roof flashing or skylights are common places for leaks to appear after the storm is already long gone. Too often water finds its way into the flashing around skylights, the molding around windows, and especially in the molding/flashing around doorways.
While it can take a long time for this type of leak to become noticeable, they can also be causing a lot of damage in the meantime. This is because by the time the wood structure has become saturated enough for the leak to show, the wood is already at a point where it and possibly surrounding boards will need to be replaced.
Shingle Granule Loss
Over time, granule loss on your shingles can create roof leaks. Granule loss happens for numerous reasons: UV damage, high winds, heavy rains, etc. Granule loss can also occur over time from wear and tear and back-to-back windstorms. These repeat storms can do a lot of unseen damage and can cause major, expensive long-term issues if not detected by a professional East Texas roofer.
Anywhere there’s an entry point such as a pipe or vent is a potential site for a leak. Over time, cracks from weather can occur, and if not regularly inspected by a professional East Texas roofer, will allow rainwater to enter and cause damage.
Seasonal roof inspections will help minimize the risk of these difficult-to-detect roof leaks which can cause significant and costly damage long after the storms have passed.
