Damage Caused by Waiting Too Long to Repair a Roof Leak Tuesday, October 02, 2018

When your roof is compromised, it becomes a snowball effect for many other costly repairs. If a small leak starts to spring in your roof, you have two choices...ignore it and watch the damage pile up, or be quick to repair it and save yourself time and hassle on an entire roof repair.

Roof Inspections to Avoid Long-Term Damage

The roof is one of the last things homeowners think about checking regularly. However, it is one of the most important parts of your home to have inspected, especially if the roof is getting close to 10+ years old.

Your roof can become easily damaged during heavy rains, windstorms, and other forms of weather. It is a good idea to check your roof to avoid short-term effects of roof neglect that can potentially become major, long-term damage.

Various Indicators of a Roof Leak

Small spots that are noticeable on your ceiling are easy indications that a leak has formed. Once a leak exists, it only gets worse. As leaks in your roof allow more and more water into your home, they become larger. Once these leaks are left to grow, you will be able to spot the roof leak in various ways, such as:

• A visually sagging roof outside
• Dark spots on your interior ceiling
• Missing shingles on your roof

How a Roof Leak Can Lead to Mold

Once mold sets in, you have an entirely new problem to deal with in addition to your leak repair. Mold thrives on damp conditions. A roof leak can cause rotting or wet wood, soaked insulation, and eventually damp spots on the ceiling. All of these conditions can lead to mold, which will require remediation and repair.

Rodent & Insect Invasion From Procrastinating with Roof Repairs

If you procrastinate with repairing a leak or roof damage, it can invite unwanted guests into your home. Rodents gain easy access to your home when holes are large enough to accommodate them. You can find yourself dealing with animals or pests invading when you let roof repairs go. Additionally, wet wood and insulation will attract pests and insects that can then multiply within the walls of your house.

Resulting Damage from Neglected Small Leaks

So, you decided to put off that small roof repair. The resulting scenario generally follows a sequence such as now your neglected small leaks have led to damage to the insulation and wood beams in your home. Mold is beginning to show on your ceiling. The additional weight and rotting of the support beams are causing your exterior roof and possibly even your interior ceiling to sag.

As you can imagine, structural damage of this nature can become a potential hazard to you and your family. And, of course, the longer you wait to make the needed repairs, the more hazardous and costly the damage that is caused.

Call our licensed professionals for an annual roof assessment to avoid structural damage.

The next storm that blows through could be the source of major damage for your roof if it is not in good condition. Do you think it is cheaper to fix a small leak or to replace an entire roof? Take the time to reach out to a professional company like True Builders for an annual roof assessment. Take precautions and preserve your home's structure before external and internal damages add up to thousands of dollars, by calling our licensed professionals today at (863) 647-1800!