Scheduling an annual roof inspection is a great way to catch and correct minor roofing troubles before they spiral out of control. However, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association, it’s even better to have your roof inspected twice each year. Setting these appointments just after the winter and summer seasons will help you identify storm-related damage, seasonal pest issues, and accelerated wear early on. When you have the roof on your Marietta, GA home inspected, the following are seven of the most common issues that your roofer will look for.
1. Installation-Related Mistakes
If you recently had your roof repaired or installed and suspect substandard workmanship, we’ll look for poorly installed shingles, loose, missing, or bent nails, curling flashing, and open, unprotected areas at the roof’s valleys and protrusions. The most vulnerable spots for water damage are areas where skylights, exhaust vents, and chimneys protrude and wherever two sections of roofing intersect.
Other installation mistakes that we check for include:
- Missing drip edges
- Incorrect flashing materials
- Insufficient attic ventilation
- Misaligned shingles
We also look for mismatched or layered shingles.
The length of roof warranties varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and installer to installer. However, your new roof should still be covered. Scheduling an inspection is a great way to get an impartial, second opinion.
2. Water Damage
Residential roofs are many-layered systems. Together, these layers should provide impenetrable, watertight barriers. If the first one to two layers fails, catching the resulting leaks early on will prevent water from entering your home. Following a heavy storm season, you might have wet attic insulation, missing shingles, and wet roofing substrate.
When water damage is more advanced, a roof’s framing can buckle, bow, and sustain other forms of deformation. When a roof feels springy, spongy, or downright soft underfoot, this is a sign of advanced water damage and wood rot. Advanced water damage usually takes months or even years to impact the entire roofing system and the rough framing beneath it. Skipping annual or twice-annual roof inspections is a sure way to let small problems progress unchecked.
3. Clogged Gutters and Other Gutter Issues
Cleaning your gutters out is a critical part of protecting your home. When these features are blocked by nests, build-ups of wet, organic materials, or twigs, water can pool on the rooftop, damage your siding, or weigh your gutters down and cause them to detach from the building.
4. Ice Damage
Although Marietta, GA gets an average of just two inches of snow each year, it does see a fair amount of freezing precipitation and freezing temperatures. On the coldest days of winter, freezing water that’s trapped behind loose or curled shingles expands and pushes them further away from the building. This same problem can occur at loose flashing. The repeated thawing and refreezing of trapped moisture in these areas can result in progressive ice-related damage.
If you have insufficient attic insulation, you may have problems with ice damming at the outer edges of your roof. We’ll check for loose and curled shingles, gutters that are detaching, and siding damage among other visible effects of this problem.
5. Missing Shingle Granules
Asphalt shingles have a sprayed-on layer of dark-colored, protective granules. This topmost layer helps route moisture towards gutters and downspouts and off the roof. It also serves as an essential barrier between your roof and the damaging UV rays of the sun. Unfortunately, as shingles age, they dry out, lose their flexibility, and start shedding their protective granules. During your inspection, we’ll look for tell-tale pebbles in your gutters and at the base of your downspouts. Widespread shingle granule loss often means that it’s time for a roof replacement.
6. Pest Problems
Certain pests prove problematic for Georgia residents almost year-round. We check for nesting birds in and around chimneys and exhaust vents. We also look for signs of termite intrusion, ants, bees, wasps, and mosquitoes. All insects and animals take a toll on the structural integrity of roofs, though some are far more so than others. Identifying pests before you have a full-blown infestation will limit this damage and make pest treatment both cheaper and easier.
7. Insufficient or Faulty Roof Vents
Attic insulation and ventilation play critical parts in ensuring the overall health and functionality of your roof. In addition to checking for adequate amounts of insulation, we’ll verify that your roof’s vents aren’t trapping excess moisture and heat. Signs of faulty, failing, and damaged vents include attic and roof mold, higher-than-normal energy bills, advanced shingle wear, and sagging underlayment or framing.
We offer residential roof inspection, repair, installation, and maintenance services. We also provide storm damage repairs and handle storm damage insurance claims. To have the roof on your Marietta, GA home assessed by seasoned roofing professionals, contact Transformation Roofing & Home Services now!
