Roofing worker repairing a damaged roof

Silent Signs You Have a Damaged Roof

How do you know if you have a damaged roof? Most know to look for leaks, but there are plenty of signs you can look for to spot damage before a leak can happen.

Inspect your plumbing vent boots. Vent boots are the plastic, or metal pieces around your home’s vents. If they are torn, broken, or cracked, they can let water into your home. That can cause damage to your roof. So, plan to inspect them and replace the old or damaged ones. Make sure and use rubber washered screws to prevent leaks. Not comfortable tackling this as a DIY? No problem, a roofing repair service can handle this maintenance task.

While you are up on your roof, look for damaged or broken shingles. You can replace them with matching shingles and keep your roof in shape. Also look for mold. If you have mold where your roof and side walls meet, it is probably due to water seepage. Kill the mold, then make sure you have flashing in that area to prevent seepage. While you are looking for mold, check out your other flashing. If any flashing is loose, you can get water in your home. Do not forget to check the flashing around your chimney, if you have one.

You also want to check your roof for storm damage. Hail can damage your roof, causing dents and dimples in your asphalt. Freezing weather can cause damage from shrinking and expanding. High winds can rip loose parts of the roof. So, check your roof for damage after every storm.

Have you ever installed anything on your roof? Whether it was satellite TV or an elaborate holiday décor, any intentional holes in your roof can cause leaks. So, check for holes you put in the roof and make sure and close them. You can caulk them and shingle over them or fix them with flashing, depending on the size of the hole.

Check out your soffits. Your soffits are the vents that bring air in from outside the home. If they are clogged, your ventilation will not work properly. Check them for clogs and have them cleaned to keep your attic properly ventilated.

You also want to check your gutters. They should be rust-free. Rusty gutters can lead to leaks, which can damage your roof. If you have damaged gutters, you can repair them with gutter repair tape. You also want to check your gutter apron. If it is missing, your fascia can get easily damaged.

Look for ceiling stains. If you have a slow leak, it may not show up as a puddle of water. Instead, you might just see damage on your ceiling. So, if you see a water stain on your ceiling, get a roofing company out to check your roof. Check for stains around your bathroom fan, as well. They can indicate a leak, though they are probably due to condensation in the bathroom.

Look in your attic for missing nails. Shiners are nails that miss framing. They provide condensation points that can cause mini drips. They are easy to fix; you can just clip the nail with some snips.

Check your house for mold. If you have mold on the interior or exterior of an exterior wall, you could have a roof leak. Look at where the mold is located and see if you can identify a potential source for a leak. Not sure? Have a roofing professional come take a look.

All Weather Roofing is happy to help you spot any of these silent signs of a damaged roof. Contact us today to schedule an inspection.