Ah, water.
It’s hot out there; who doesn’t love the sound of rain pitter-pattering on the roof; watering the lawn and garden; providing a little relief from a heat wave?
We sure do. But, at Miller Restoration, our team of experts knows full well that water isn’t always our friend.
As a member of Disaster Kleenup International, our Miller teams have seen storm damage ranging from entire roofs missing, to small sections of shingles blown off. Whatever your roof’s damage is, our team’s advice is to address the situation as quickly as possible.
Here’s why:
If your roof becomes damaged in a storm, even a very slow leak beginning where just one shingle is missing can build in intensity and cause damage to entire roofs; chimneys; insulation; attics; ceilings; walls and windows.
Once one shingle is missing, it becomes that much easier for strong winds to pick up the edges of other shingles, leading to bigger and bigger damaged spots.
Shingles are designed to overlap in layers, so to have one tab of a three-tab shingle missing isn’t the end of the world.
However…
If the top tab missing was sitting above an open seam between two other shingles, this allows the bottom layer of shingles to be unprotected from wind and rain.
Below the shingles, a layer of felt paper will protect the roof’s sheathing for a time, until it, too, gives way to damage caused by heavy winds and rain.
Then, you really have a problem.
So, if a heavy wind or rain storm has caused your roof to divest itself of one or more shingles, it’s best to take action, quickly.
With much of the maintenance work that comes with owning a home, replacing one or a few shingles can certainly be done DIY-style. That said, our Miller DKI experts do not advise the average homeowner to take on this job themselves.
You need an experienced roofer to examine the entire roof, to make sure the storm damage you are seeing isn’t the only damage the roof has suffered. Also, once a few shingles begin to give way, your entire roof is in danger of failing.
An expert will be able to tell if the heavy winds and driving rain that blew away a shingle or two has caused immediate sheathing; insulation; attic and interior ceiling and wall damage, all without being visible from inside.
Interior water damage can lead to mould buildup; cause electrical problems; give rodents access to your home; invite insects to congregate and produce other, unexpected side-effects, such as an odd smell coming from the walls.
So, if you have roof damage of any kind following a storm, it’s best to call in the experts, and quickly. Depending on the age of your shingles, their warranty and your insurance coverage, it may only cost you your deductible to get your roof repaired.
(Note to homeowners: Some insurance companies consider your policy void if you do certain repairs yourself, without calling in experts. Before replacing a missing shingle, it’s best to re-read your insurance policy.)
Since the roof protects your whole home from weather damage of any kind, it’s to your advantage to call in the experts to keep it in tip-top shape.
Then, you can go back to enjoying the pitter-patter of rain against your roof, confident the weather will remain where it’s meant to be: In the great outdoors.
Has your roof, or part of it, gone missing during a storm? Our experts can help with the cleanup associated with storm damage. Call the Miller Restoration office at 905-688-9224 or message us HERE.