By Smarty Guest Blogger David Sammons, owner of Charlotte Roofing Specialists
Considering the recent flurry of monsoons in the greater Charlotte area I thought the Smarty Pants Crew might be interested in learning some signs that a roof could be in need of repair. Hopefully, these will help you all spot roof issues before there is a big problem!!
So…take a look below and determine what your roof is telling you before there is a roofing emergency!!!!
1. Leaves in your roof valleys. This is your roof telling you that it cannot always evacuate debris by itself. Sitting debris tends to be more of an issue on slopes without steep pitches, and is almost always a problem in heavily wooded areas, regardless of pitch. To remedy this, you need to have someone regularly blow the debris from the roof. As fall approaches, this is HUGE. Debris not only holds moisture on the roof, but can act as a dam when water flows down from higher portions of the valleys.
2. Creased or broken shingles. These indicate roof damage. I know, I know, seems obvious, but what you may not know, is that these could be related to storm damage or installation defects. Either should be inspected by a qualified roofing contractor to determine how widespread the issues are. Left not repaired, the exposed nails from the course underneath them will rust, loosen, and leak.
3. Shingles that are popped up. Shingle tabs not seeming to lay down properly should be checked. While it is normal for some shingle tabs not to lay down immediately after install, they should lay down with a few days of sun (provided temperature is above 40 degrees). If not, more than likely a nail underneath the shingle is pushing it up. If this is not repaired, the tab is more susceptible to wind damage and vulnerable to wind driven rain. Additionally, if dust blows under the shingle, the adhesive strip will lose its ability to reseal once it lays flat.
4. I see nails. In short, you shouldn’t. The only nails you see on a shingled roof should at least be sealed with caulk. Nails, exposed to the elements will rust, fail, and leak.
5. My gutters are sagging. This could mean one of a few things. First, it could mean your gutters are clogged. The weight of debris and the resulting held water, put undue, downward pressure on the gutters. This can weaken the fascia, pour water into the soffit, and the gutters can pull away from the home. Second, it could mean that the slope of your gutters is negative or insufficient. This has the same effect as gutters that have been clogged and is remedied by slope adjustment to ensure that water is going where you want it to.
Most of you, I’m guessing, are not thrilled at the prospect of walking on your own roofs. The focus of this list is to outline a few warning signs that might be seen from the ground. For every warning sign that is visible from the ground, there are many that can only be observed from up top. Charlotte Roofing Specialists are always here to help. Give us a call today for a free estimate or if you have any roofing or gutter questions.
Charlotte Roofing Specialists
David Sammons, owner
757 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28207
704.975.1215 cell
704.364.3464 office
David@roofcharlotte.com
www.charlotteroofing.com
NC GC License #70599
