Hard Work & Innovation: The Job of a Roofer

It's important to keep up with roof maintenance so you can avoid a roof leak in your home. An important maintenance chore is keeping the roof clean. This usually isn't difficult if the slope of your roof is fairly steep since leaves and twigs tend to roll off or are blown off by the wind. If the debris stays on your roof very long, problems might arise. Here are some roof repairs you might need if you fail to maintain your property's roofing.

Repair Moss Damage to Shingles

If wet clumps of leaves get caught in a roof valley, the leaves will hold dampness against the roof. That makes ideal growing conditions for moss and algae. While algae may not necessarily harm your roof, it just makes ugly black streaks on the shingles. Moss is a different story. The moss roots burrow under shingles, lift shingles, and let rain flow under the shingles. Moss can lead to a roof leak, so it has to be removed.

Once the moss is gone, the roofer can check the shingles for damage and replace the ones that have moisture damage or have become detached from the roof.

Repair Water Damage Caused by Leaf Dams

It's important for rain to roll down your roof to the gutters. If there is tree debris on the roof, it might act as a dam and hold water against the shingles. This can cause water to get under the shingles and get down to the deck. There should be a sheet of underlayment on top of the deck to protect it from water damage, but if the underlayment is torn, the rain will leak through it and get the deck wet.

If this goes on long enough, the deck of your roof could rot. A rotting deck eventually sags and may even collapse, so you'll want a roofer to replace the water-damaged roofing with new, dry materials as soon as possible. By keeping leaves cleaned off of your roof, you can avoid the need for this type of roof repair.

Replace Shingles Damaged By Bird Droppings

If birds start gathering on your roof, it probably won't be long until it's covered with acidic bird droppings that eat through the shingles and lead to the need for roof repair. It's a good idea to deter birds when you see them on the roof rather than let them hang out there. Once your roof has bird droppings on it, you'll need a roof cleaning company to wash off the droppings to get rid of the acid that harms your roof.

Then, have a roofer check the area for damaged shingles. Shingles that have acid damage or that have been pecked and scratched need to be pulled off and replaced with new shingles.

If you are ever in the need of a roof repair, be sure to contact an experienced professional to help restore your roofing correctly.