What Happens If You Avoid Repairing A Roof Leak?

If you notice a roof leak, it’s important to act quickly for many reasons. It’s important to get it fixed right away. You will often hear homeowners admit they’d noticed some bubbling or a stain but didn’t think it was serious so didn’t call for a while. Ignoring it or avoiding it will only make things worse. Often, by the time you notice this kind of damage, there is far worse problems underneath. It is recommended by the National Roofing Contractors Association to inspect your roof two times a year. Once in the fall and once in the spring.



Some things to look for:
• Sagging
• Spots
• Spots of light showing through.

On the Outside You May Notice:
• Rotting, warped, peeling, buckling or missing shingles.
• gutters that are clogged or slow draining.
• material that is loose or damage around vents and the chimney.
If you are not dealing with a large mess, it can be tempting to consider it not important and push it aside until a later time. This is not a good idea and there are many things that can happen when you put off repairing a roof leak. Consider some of the following problems:

Repair Expenses Grow
Getting a leak in your shingle roof won’t repair itself like a cut in your finger healing. Instead, the water will cause more damage if left sitting and create other, small leaks throughout your home. Soaking your insulation and ceiling as well as other areas of your home. The longer the water sits and the further it spreads; the more damage is created. The further the damage grows, the more you are going to spend in costly repairs. When a leak in the roof is ignored, it will eventually cause damage to the interior of the home and rack up a larger repair bill in doing so.

Life Expectancy of Roof Decreases
Replacing a roof is both costly and time consuming. Most people will put it off as long as possible just for this reason. If you are able to make your roof last longer, you should. One of the best ways to increase the life expectancy of your roof is to take care of it, inspect it regularly and provide maintenance often. Even a small leak that goes unchecked can cause long term damage, affecting the life expectancy of your roof. These leaks will weaken your roofing structure, causing you to do a full replacement on your roof sooner than would otherwise be necessary. Some questions to ask yourself include:
• Have you noticed a leak?
• Have you noticed odd shingles or other impairments?
• Has your roof been replaced in the last 10 years?
• Has your home been under extreme weather conditions such as hailstorms or strong winds?

Mold Growth Increases
While a small leak might not seem like that big of a deal, especially if the water stains don’t bother you. However, it’s important to remember that water is soaking different areas of your home. Where there is moisture, there is the opportunity for mold to grow. Leaks in your ceiling, wall or insulation gone unattended are the ideal spot for mold to grow. This can lead to all sorts of havoc from damage to the home, disclosures that need to be made and even health trouble for those living in the home. For those with allergies or asthma, it can be extremely dangerous. Even those who are not allergic can suffer trouble with their throat and lungs, eyes, nose or skin. All this will add up to an extended clean up period following the repairs and that will add up to more money spent on damages.

What You Can Do
If you notice a leak with your roof there are some steps, you should take right away. Discoloration and bulging are some of the first signs of trouble. This is caused by water pooling in areas. Get a trash can or bucket, some kind of container for the water to go into. You may want to prop the area up or use something to move the water along and keep it from gathering in one spot. Containing the leak so further damage to your home doesn’t occur is one of the most important steps. If you need to punch a hole in the ceiling to get the leak out, do so. Moving the water out and keeping things dry will help prevent further damage. If you can find the source of the leak in your exterior, safely go to it and cover it with a tarp. If it seems unsafe, contact a professional immediately. Tarping it off, especially during wet weather can help to prevent further damage. Finally, you need to contact a professional roofing service to get it repaired as soon as possible.

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