If you are noticing water stains extending across your ceiling or running down the walls, then probably you have a leaky roof. Tracking the source of leak is the hardest part, but doing such roof repairs is pretty easy. If you have a leaky roof, then it is best to fix it as soon as possible, because it can lead to a very big problem if left unattended over time. Such problems will include mold, rotting, sheathing, damage and destroyed insulation. A small leak that is not causing you much problem as of now may result in an expensive flashing leak over a couple of years. If you do not deal with it right away, the subsequent damage and repairs would be huge, and sometimes beyond repair.
Times When Roof Repairs Become Necessary
These are a few times when getting your roof repaired becomes necessary:
- Leakage: The first and forest problem that needs roof repairs is leakage. These are often caused because of joints present in the roof. If your house has a sloping roof, then it must be having lots of junctions and joints.
- Broken tiles: If you have a tiled roof, then the tiles may break due to age or simple wear and tear. Apart from that, exposure to weather conditions is also a reason for tiles falling apart. If you have a flat roof, then the reason for broken tiles may be cold joints of concrete and poor workmanship.
- Loose joints: If your roof is made up of asbestos cement sheet of a polycarbonate material, then the leakage is perhaps due to loosened joints because of wind. Connecting screws may also loosen up, thereby making the holes even bigger, leading to massive leakages.
- Surface damage: If your roof surface is damaged, water may seep into the roof and seep into the beams through the ceilings. Broken, missing, loose, and water-logged tiles can cause a huge amount of damage to your roofing.
If you leave a leakage unattended roof for a long time, your entire home’s structure may get damaged over time. So, in order to avoid any further damage, maintain your roof regularly and replace any damaged tiles quickly.
Methods of Roof Repairs
There are several methods of repairing a roof, including the following:
Rubber repair: This type of repair includes use of products like modified bitumen, EPDM and other materials that are thin like rubber. If your roof has a minor hole or leak, then the expert may use an adhesive patch and primer to seal the area. Small cracks and holes can be repaired with a special glue designed for roofers. However, large roof repairs would need replacement and resealing of the entire section.
Tile repair: If you do not want to replace your entire roof due to damage, you must repair just the damaged tiles as soon as you notice them. If you see a fallen, chipped, cracked or warped tile in your roofing, contact your contractor immediately. Otherwise, water will continue seeping below the tiles, and it will ultimately demand an entire roof replacement. When you start seeing signs of water damage in your ceiling from the inside, then your tile roof must have gone beyond repair and it may be too late to repair the damaged tiles. So, repair your tiles as soon as you notice any signs of damage in them.
Built up repair: This process involves a patch of metal mesh with an asphalt material as an extra layer. This can be helpful in solving most of the roof leakages and crack problems. UV and water-resistant coats can also be applied on the patch to keep the roof protected from damage in future.
If you are concerned about the cost of roof repairs, then it would largely depend on a variety of factors, including the area of repair, material of the roofing, site location, working conditions, etc. Talk with an expert, let them inspect your extent of roof damage, and let them give you a price quote for the needed repair.