It's important to have roof repairs done as soon as possible so the damage to your home doesn't get worse. A leaky roof might go on for a long time and cause a lot of water damage. If you're lucky, the underlayment will protect your home from a leak, but if the underlayment has deteriorated, rain can ruin the deck and get in your attic. Here's a look at why timely roof repairs are so important.
1. The Dampness In Your Attic Can Attract Bugs
If rain is leaking in the attic and getting the rafters, walls, or floors wet, the damp wood might attract bugs. Your home could become infested with roaches, silverfish, or termites. Since the bugs would be mostly in the attic, you wouldn't even know you had a serious infestation until the bugs come down to your living area to find food.
2. A Wet Attic Can Grow Mold
Mold growing in the attic can make your entire home smell musty. Mold needs moisture to thrive, so if your attic is wet or damp, mold might start growing up the walls. Certain types of mold can trigger allergy problems or be health hazards. Any type of mold should be removed though, and that may require expensive mold remediation services that could have been prevented with timely roof repairs.
3. Wood Rots If It Is Wet For Long Enough
When your roof leaks, the deck of your roof can rot away. The rafters may also get wet and rot. Rotted wood has to be replaced, and that adds to the cost of roof repairs. Rotted wood can also be dangerous. Someone walking on the roof might fall through the deck if the damage is bad enough.
Rot could also affect the attic or the wood between the walls depending on how the leak caused rain to fall in your house. Drywall is also easily damaged by water, so you may also need to replace drywall on your walls and ceiling if the leak isn't fixed in time.
4. Roof Damage Escalates
What starts out as a puncture in a shingle and the underlayment might end up with a rotted deck, rotted rafters, mold growth, and an infestation of termites. Instead of paying for a simple shingle replacement and underlayment patch, you might have to pay for deck repair, carpentry work on the rafters, mold remediation, water damage repair in your house, and pest control treatments.
While that might be a worst-case scenario, escalating damage is a real possibility when you have a roof leak. A lot depends on where the leak is located, how much rain you get, and how the leak affects the inside of your house. Still, it's not worth the risk when the compounding problems can be prevented with timely roof repairs.
Contact a local roof repair service to learn more.
The strong roof is one that has been carefully selected for your home, according to the local climate and your home's structure. The strong roof is one that you've taken the time to maintain, season after season. It's a roof that is protected by good insulation and a good warranty. Do you have a strong roof? As you check out the articles on this website, you'll come to a better understanding of what it means to have a strong roof and what you can do to keep your roof strong. We hope you enjoy reading these articles we've collected for readers like you.