Roof Damage

 It would be nice to think that after we have a new roof put on the house, we could forget about it for the next fifteen or twenty years. Owning a home in Northern Virginia requires time and effort to protect it from the perils of harsh weather. Roof damage starts to happen the moment the last shingle is put in place, even when the sun is shining.

 After your roof is a few years old, take a look at the southern exposure. More than likely it will appear more worn than the other three sides. UV rays are hard on roofing materials – they leach out the oils that keep them supple. Your shingles, waterproof membrane and roofing compound become brittle and tend to crack after a few years of the sun pounding down on them.

 Extremes in temperature cause subtle expansion and contraction on the roof and this takes a toll. The adhesives holding the shingles in place are weakened, the shingles develop hairline cracks, the roofing nails lose their grip and the flashing that protects the joints and seams corrodes or pulls away from the roof. Individually, these types of roof damage may seem to be minor, but it takes only a small crack in a shingle for water to get through.

 Your roof can also be affected by excess moisture when it is not leaking. If there is not adequate ventilation in the attic the humidity in the house collects and has no way to escape. This encourages mildew and rot. When the exterior temperature drops below the interior attic temperature, condensation forms. It can make the roof sheathing swell and split or it can trickle down through to the ceiling or through the walls.

 Every season brings a new set of circumstances that affect the ability of your roof to do the job of protecting your house. We recommend you have it thoroughly inspected at least a couple times a year, and immediately after a major storm. Roof damage cannot be taken lightly – it puts your house at risk of incurring very costly repair bills to fix the mess created by water leaks.

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