The roof is an essential component of any building. It complements a beautiful design and offers complete protection from the outside elements. Over time, your roof may show signs of wear and tear. If you address the problem early on, you’ll minimize the repair and keep the maintenance costs low.
How do you know if you have a worn-out roof? Intelligent Design offers complete roofing inspection. We can assess your roof and identify any issues that may arise. Here are the main points we evaluate.
1. Water Damage
We watch for signs of moisture damage throughout your home or office building. Damp spots may appear on the ceiling. We may notice water spots forming on walls from moisture seeping in. Small holes in the roof contribute to attic and wall moisture buildup. This can cause significant damage to the building’s structure and mold buildup.
2. The Sun Peeking Through the Attic
The decking may be cracking or pulling apart if you see the light coming in through the attic or the roof. We can walk through the attic to spot any openings in the roof. Where there are openings, there are sure to be air and water leaks.
A Caveat
It’s good to watch for signs of cracks and holes in your roof—but sunlight doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with your roof. Many of these structures are made with strategically placed vents crucial for proper ventilation and, thus, the prolonged functionality of the roof. Without these vents, the space would trap warm, humid air, resulting in ice dams and structural degradation.
So, how do you know if a hole is problematic or not? Simple: check if it’s man-made. Vents, regardless of their location, look like they were put there on purpose, while roof leaks or animal infestations are much more irregular in shape and location. While some vents can be an issue if your home is poorly designed, this is a good rule of thumb if you’re looking at your roof’s welfare cursory.
Check out this article from the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants to learn more about attic ventilation! If you’re concerned about yours, contact a roofing contractor for personalized advice.
3. Cracked or Blistered Paint
If you notice the paint on your building looks excessively cracked or peeling to no small degree, it’s time for a roof inspection. This sign of roof failure can appear on interior or exterior paint, especially around the roof line. Damaged paint can also be evidence of a buildup of moisture due to poor attic ventilation.
4. Cracked or Curling Shingles
Asphalt shingles usually come with a 15-20 year warranty. After that, a roofing company will need to inspect the roof. One of the most common issues we look for is cracked or curling shingles. The shingles could be damaged by weather, or they could just be getting old. Dry shingles that are brittle enough to break upon touching are hidden signs of roof failure and indicate that your shingles need to be replaced soon.
5. Overflowing Gutters
If you notice the water dripping down the sides of the gutters, it’s a clear sign that we need to replace or clean out the gutters. We can get on top of the roof to assess the overall condition of the gutter system. If the gutters need to be replaced, we recommend investing in seamless gutters with gutter guards. Guards will keep your gutters from overflowing.
6. Energy Bills Are ‘Through the Roof’
When there are holes and leaks in your roofing, your heating and cooling system must work harder to maintain comfortable temperatures. In Minnesota, plummeting temperatures during the winter can trigger your furnace to work around the clock if your roof is not properly insulated due to damage.
7. Roof Surface Is Sagging
Sagging or low spots reveal a problem, which may be a structural weakness below the top surface of the roof. Ponding from standing water may have compressed the roof insulation, or a roof deck joist may be broken. Commercial roofing systems often suffer from this type of damage.
8. Clogged Drains
Clogged drains are not necessarily a roofing problem. An Intelligent Design commercial roofing contractor can determine what is causing the drains to clog up. There may be standing water on the edge of the drain opening. Ponding could mean that there is sagging around the roof or that there is debris in the drain. We need to inspect the area to decide if you need a new roof.
9. Loose, Rusty, and Broken Flashing
A roof with no flashing will eventually leak. Rusty or broken flashing could be the result of a hail-damaged roof. If so, we’ll replace the old flashing. If there is missing flashing, we need to assess the overall condition of the roofing system. We may need to replace part or all of the roof if it’s suffered from ponding and leaks.
10. Animal Infestations
It’s not a hard-and-fast rule that if you’ve got unwanted neighbors in your attic, your roof is shot—but poor maintenance and pest problems certainly go hand-in-hand, and anything living up there is certain to be quite destructive.
Animals like squirrels can chew their way into the attic space, leaving you with one of those nasty holes we discussed earlier. This can lead to moisture problems, damp insulation, and more. Mold problems resulting from defecation can also become an issue, as they’re much more destructive than meets the eye and require far more than a cursory cleaning. Finally, there’s the issue of unprotected wires, which can quickly create fire damage when chewed on.
Long story short: though a roof can certainly be saved if animals have been living in it, the work is bound to be extensive. You’ll first need the help of an exterminator, then a roofing company, if you hope to salvage this part of your home.
How Does a Worn-Out Roof Cost You?
If you’re wondering why the energy bills in your commercial property are skyrocketing, it may be because it’s time for a replacement. These are a few ways your residential or commercial roof costs you hundreds or thousands of dollars annually.
Neglect
It’s not uncommon for property owners to think that their roofs will last forever. However, roofs take a beating from Mother Nature. Considering the temperature outside, the wind, hail, storms, and UV rays and how they affect your roof, it doesn’t take long before it needs maintenance and care. Hiring Intelligent Design roofers could be just what you need to maintain the roof and keep your energy costs low.
Roof Leaks
Something more costly than energy bills is structural repairs. Water leaks can cause severe damage to your building’s structure from the top down. If you have an older roof with cracks, holes, or other damage, wind and rain will get inside and cause deterioration of the framework.
Even if your building is steel, the metal can corrode over time.
Structural repairs are expensive because you have to renovate walls, ceilings, electrical systems, and other building components. Using preventive measures is a great start, and our Minneapolis roofing company can inspect your building to see if we need to repair any parts of the structure.
Roof Replacement
We may need to replace your old commercial roof if it costs you money. It may not be an expense you were not planning on, but it is a substantial investment in your building and your business’s future. A new roof will reduce your energy bills and your roof repairs. It will also stabilize your building’s interior and exterior and increase your building’s value.
An old roof will only take away from your building, but a new roof will add to it. Intelligent Design can help you redesign and build your roof to bring new life into your building.
Professional Residential and Commercial Roofing
If you are looking for professional roofing installation, repair, or complete replacement, contact Intelligent Design Corp. We offer a wide range of roofing services for homeowners and business owners in Maple Grove, Minnesota, and the surrounding Twin Cities metro area.
