Any modern building, may it be a modest suburban home or a large college lecture hall, will have a proper roof on it. These roofs are essential for keeping out the elements such as sunlight, rain, snow, and wind from the building’s interior, and they are also part of how a building maintains its climate control. Commercial building owners and homeowners alike must take good care of their roofs, as these are a major part of the building and may case some expensive problems if they have issues. Homeowners, in particular, may hire a roof repair contractor or company to regularly inspect or repair their roof as needed, and local roofers may be found online with ease. What is more, roof repair contractors might not only repair commercial and residential roofing but even remove a badly damaged roof and replace it with an entirely new one if need be. What problems might arise with the roof, and how can they be fixed? And what are some differences between asphalt shingle roofs and metal roofs?
What Goes Wrong With Roofs
A homeowner may call upon roof repair contractors for any number of reasons, with a major one being water leaks. A proper roof will keep out all rain and snow from the house, but if a roof is damaged somehow, water will start getting in. A roof’s shingles may be damaged or fall out, such as from old age or even hail striking them, and this opens up vulnerable points in the roof. Old or damaged roofs may have cracks or holes in them that can leak water during rain or when snow melts, and that can wreak havoc. Leaking water may rot and expand wooden surfaces in the attic, and such water may also damage the home’s drywall and put ugly strains in the material. Drywall repair contractors will have to be hired if that happens. On top of that, rain water in the house will short out electrical components, and that too calls for costly repairs. Finally, leaking water may foster mold growth or pool on the floor, damaging concrete or furniture the whole time.
In other cases, squirrels may get into the roof via nearby tree branches, and chew their way into the attic. Squirrels may, once inside, build nests in the air ducts that block air flow, and they will chew on plastic pipes and electrical wires, damaging those utilities. Or, the gutters may be part of the problem, since clogged gutters will allow too much water to pool on one part of the roof. All of that heavy water may leak through even the smallest cracks and holes, and even light rainfall may build up all that water. And of course, if a very old home is purchased, its roof is probably in bad shape, and storms such as tornadoes or hurricanes might damage the roof or blow it off entirely. Fortunately, roof repair contractors can be hired to fix any of this.
What Contractors May Do
A concerned homeowner may get references at their local hardware store, and/or look online to find roof repair contractors in their area. They may search with their city or town’s name, or even their ZIP code, to find something nearby. Good contractor teams will also have their own website complete with articles, videos, and images showcasing their work. A homeowner may compare and contrast a few contractor teams before they find one to hire.
Roofers may repair or replace missing roof tiles and shingles, for example, and they may also apply liquid rubber roof sealant. This will seal up existing cracks and holes that admit water into the house, and also help prevent such faults from forming in the future. Similarly, roof or gutter experts may clear out thick clogs in the gutters or even repair or replace those gutters to prevent any more water pooling on the roof. Experts may also remove intruding squirrels, repair the holes, and put on paint that repels further squirrel invasions. In other cases, a badly damaged roof may be cost-inefficient to repair often, so it may be removed and replaced with a new one. New metal roofs, for example, are durable, cost-friendly, and are excellent for insulation as well.