If there’s one home repair you should never put off, it’s fixing a leaking roof. It’s often easy to let a roof leak go. Out of sight, out of mind, right? And what are a few drips here and there going to amount to anyway?
A lot!
Whether the roof was damaged by improper installation, lack of maintenance or a bad storm, fixing that leak is crucial to maintaining the integrity of your home’s structure and foundation. An experienced roof repair service can fix that leak so bigger problems don’t occur.
Signs You Need a Roof Repair Service
Having your roof regularly checked for damage, cleaning your gutters and making sure insulation isn’t exposed to the elements can help you keep roof leaks at bay. Common signs that you may have a roof leak on your hands include:
- Water seeping into your home during a heavy rain
- Water spots or discolored areas on ceilings and walls
- Darkened ceiling paint
- Peeling paint around skylights or dormer windows
- Cracked or bubbled plaster and/or crumbling drywall
- Wood decay in the attic, or around skylights and dormer windows
- Decaying soffits and fascia
- Granules collecting in the gutters
- Curling or cupping shingles
- Decreased home energy efficiency
- Deteriorated indoor air quality and/or a musty attic smell
- Visible mold on attic insulation, ceilings, etc.
Even one of these signs suggests you should call in a professional to inspect your roof. Timely leak detection and roof repair service will help you prevent these other serious damages from happening.
Ceiling, Attic & Floor Damage
The initial damage from a roof leak is to the attic. Not only can even the smallest of leaks cause structural damage, it can also ruin any household items or family treasures you keep stored up there. The leak then travels farther down and soon you’ll see damage to the interior ceilings. Often, they appear as dark stains in the room’s corners. Those affected areas can then start to bubble and grow. Without repair, the leak will start to make its way down into your home’s walls.
You might then start to notice drops coming from other places in the ceiling. That’s when many people start to get out the buckets and plastic containers to catch the leaks. If the water continually hits or collects on the floor, you’ll start to notice the same bubbling effect and creases will appear. Wood floors become uneven and carpeting and underlays become waterlogged, which can then lead to the next problem: mold and mildew.
Mold & Mildew
Whether it’s due to clogged gutters, wet insulation or a wet roof layer, this is one of the most common — and serious — consequences of a leaking roof. Mold and mildew can quickly grow and spread throughout your home’s structure, causing a host of problems, including:
- Serious health issues like nasal congestion, inflammation, asthma, and rhinitis, an inflammation of the mucous membranes that causes runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing, and headaches
- Mold is difficult to get rid of and can be extremely expensive to take care of once it’s set in
All of these problems can happen within a matter of days once your roof starts leaking. Sometimes, you may not notice the initial damage, which only gives the issue room to grow.
Structural Damage & Collapse
When water finds new ways to leak into your home, it could be doing more damage than you imagined. It can begin to wear away and rot structural beams which, in turn, can potentially lead to the roof collapsing. It can even compromise the integrity of your home's structure, particularly if it’s a one-story house. No one wants to deal with a collapsed roof or serious structural damage, not only because it can be awfully expensive to fix, but because it can be extremely dangerous for you or your family, especially during inclement weather.
Fire Hazard
You may not think a water leak could lead to a fire hazard but when water enters your home it can quickly travel to places where it doesn’t belong. One of those places is inside your walls where electrical wiring is run. Water that comes into contact with wiring is an enormous fire threat to you, your family and your home. It is not a risk worth taking.
Increased Energy Costs
The longer you wait to have a leaky roof repaired, the higher you can expect the cost of repairs to be. One sign to look for is an increase in your monthly energy bills. If your home’s insulation becomes chronically saturated with water, it never gets the chance to dry out. You may then start to notice that it requires more energy to warm and cool and your home. Your heater or air conditioning unit will run longer and work harder, raising your energy costs in the process.
Call for Roof Repair Service Today
So, what’s the best way to handle a leaking roof? We strongly advise hiring a licensed roofing contractor to repair the damage and leak-proof your Las Vegas home!
While you may be tempted to ignore a minor leak, it’s important to understand that small leaks can quickly turn into big, big, headaches. Just a small amount of water making its way indoors creates the potential for additional leaks and/or a collapsed roof. Minor or major, if your roof has a leak, it’s time to call in the pros.
First Quality Roofing & Installation offers comprehensive roof repair service including replacements, inspections, maintenance, and attic insulation. We also offer roof certification and drywall repair. Don’t wait a minute more to get that leak in your roof taken care of! Contact First Quality today and put a stop to damage caused by a roof leak.
