Common Roof Problems
Parapets
The part of the home structure that sticks above the roof line on a flat roof.
As you can see in this photo the roofing material which is sealed to the stucco is totally compromised (note the cracks in the black sealing material). Damage like this allows water to travel along the roof joists and leak into your ceiling and walls.
If you see this happening on your roof, call us!
TPO Roofs
Hole in the TPO
Holes patched
Hole in the TPO
Hole in the TPO
Debris on the Roof
Organic matter such as leaves and pine needles get wet and begin to decompose.
Acids and enzymes in the composting matter will compromise the roof leading to roofing failure.
If you see this happening on your roof, call us!
Metal Roof Issues
Screws can come loose over time. Penetrations need to be sealed periodically.
Click to enlarge
Screws can come loose over time
Penetrations need to be sealed periodically.
Before repair
Repair
Repair
How it should look
Tile Roof Issues
Crack in tile had caused water penetration that damaged the material underneath.
Click to enlarge
Before repair
New wood
Finished repair
Roof Coatings
Crack in tile had caused water penetration that damaged the material underneath.
Click to enlarge
Before
After
Degranulation
Once granules are gone, the sun gets to the felt underneath (which is the core of the shingle) and water is soon to follow.
Before
How it should look
Penetration
The result of what you see in this photo may result in water traveling down the exposed pipe and collecting in your attic. Ultimately your ceiling may be compromised.
Proper maintenance will catch and correct this situation.
If you see this happening on your roof, call us!
Wildlife
Pigeon and birds can get under tiles on tile roofs or solar panels. The bird droppings are acidic and will destroy any roof. Another problem are squirrels and mice that can get under tile and damage underlayment.
Wind and Hail Damage
Hail damage can seem minor but it causes serious long term damage to your shingle roof. The hail impacts knock off the granules that protect your roof from the sun’s rays. So instead of lasting 30 years, significant hail damage can lower the service life to less than half that. Most insurance companies cover the cost of hail damage, but many have a time limit in which to file a claim.
Wind and ice can also cause serious damage to your roof.
This roof has hail damage and debris.
Wind and hail damage.
Hail damage to vent.
Hail damage to vent.
Hail damage to parapet walls on flat roofs. This kind of damage can be more costly to repair than it would be to replace the whole roof.
Home Repair
It’s important to have your roof checked both before and after you are planning to have any home repairs done that would require access to your roof. This way you can hold the contractors responsible for any potential damage they may cause to your roof. Such work might include replacing an air conditioner, getting stucco done or cutting in a new heater pipe. We offer this as a free service for our clients. If you have workers on your roof, they could drop a tool, which could cause damage. Someone who does not know how to walk on a tile roof could damage the tile. And people having their air conditioning or swamp coolers serviced should be aware that any water leakage can cause damage to the roofing material as well as the flashing and possibly the wood underneath.
