When you rely on your home to provide you with comfort and shelter, you can't take any risks with its ability to keep water outdoors where it belongs. Great roofing is instrumental in the fight against the elements, because it helps to create the kind of environment you need to keep your home and family safe. Unfortunately, there are many homes that don't have strong, reliable roofs, which can cause problems in the long run. On this website, check out excellent ways to spot roofing problems and resolve them quickly. After all, your home is your most valuable asset, so protect it now.
One of the most common questions roofing contractors hear is, "Is the roof repairable?" It's not always a simple question to answer, but there are some basic issues a contractor can check to see what the solution will be. Here are 5 ways to tell if your house's roof might be fixable.
Finding the Damage Early
Few factors are as important to the possibility of pulling off a roofing repair job as much as early intervention. If you noticed a hole in the roof the day after a windstorm, for example, there's a pretty good chance a fix is possible. Conversely, if a small leak has produced staining on the interior walls, the odds start to go down. By the time the damage reaches the foundation, you might be staring at bigger issues than just repairing a roof.
The Type of Damage
Not all forms of roofing damage are created equal. If a couple of shingles were torn off during a storm, that's probably a fairly easy fix. On the flip side, sustained damage that has caused the wood to rot to the point you can see it falling from the roof means there could be something uglier going on.
Also, some kinds of damage require other work first. If a roof is being destroyed by termites, installing new wood is probably going to present the bugs with a buffet. That type of damage has to be controlled first before roofing contractors can confidently address the situation.
How Old the Roof Is
There are scenarios where it might be simpler to strip the roof off and start fresh. If you have a shingle roof that has been in place for several decades, you might want to re-roof the house rather than getting into a roofing repair. Doing repair work on a structure that may need a new roof 5 years down the road probably isn't going to be cost-effective in the long run.
The Depth of the Damage
If a roof is repairable, the depth of the damage will dictate how involved the job is going to be. If the roof has suffered water damage that has compromised the decking, that's probably pretty reasonable to deal with. Once it gets into joists and beams, though, you have to start worrying about whether the whole house could collapse.
Time of Year
Even if a new roof is necessary, you may need to buy time. A temporary roofing repair may help you get through the winter or a rainy month so contractors can tackle bigger work in better conditions.
Reach out to a professional who provides roofing repair to learn more.