How Different Types of Weather Affect Your Roof

Your roof is sturdy, but extreme weather conditions such as hail and heat can take their toll on it. Here’s how different types of weather affect your roof.

Your roof is what shields the rest of your home from the elements. Unfortunately, it can sustain quite a bit of damage in its noble effort to protect your home from extreme and unpredictable weather conditions. You can take certain measures to protect your roof against these conditions, but you can’t do anything to stop the weather from happening, nor can you control its severity. For this reason, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with how different types of weather affect your roof. In doing so, you’ll know what to look for after the next storm and can have any damage repaired before it gets out of control.

Rain

Rain is common, but because it’s so common, it’s also the kind of weather that’s most likely to damage your roof. An inch of rain might not seem like much, but it’s the equivalent of 1,500 pounds of water splashing onto your shingles! When rainwater manages to creep underneath the shingles, it can seep below the roof deck and cause rot. The extra moisture can also result in mold and mildew growth on your walls, ceilings, insulation, and electrical system. Mold is known for causing health issues, which can make it a huge problem in households with members that are sensitive to it, such as individuals with asthma or allergies.

Snow and Ice

Unless you’ve recently had a few dozen inches of it dumped on your roof, snow alone won’t do much damage. The water that’s created when snow melts, however, is a different problem entirely. When snow melts, it can create ice dams along the edge of your roof and force moisture underneath the shingles and flashing. These ice dams will cause your shingles to gradually deteriorate, which could eventually necessitate repairs.

The Sun

Another way different types of weather can affect your roof is through overheating. The sun can raise the temperature of your roof 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the surrounding air. If your roof is exposed to these scorching temperatures for an extended period, it can start to deteriorate and become discolored.

Hail

Hail is one of the rarer types of weather conditions, which means you won’t have to worry about it happening very often. When it does happen, however, it can do a considerable amount of damage to your roof. When hail collides with your roof’s shingles, it can wear them down, fracture them, and cause granules to flake off. The severity of the damage is dependent on how large the chunks of hail are, along with the wind speed. Even penny-sized pieces of hail can cause damage, though, so don’t neglect to check your roof for damage just because the storm wasn’t that intense.

Did you recently endure a bad storm? Are you worried about what kind of damage it did to your roof? If you’re in need of professional and reliable hail damage roofing contractors, Viking Contractors can help. We can handle any type of storm damage, from hail to thunderstorms to snowstorms. Our professional roofing contractors will inspect your roof for damage and conduct repairs so it looks brand-new again. Contact us today for a free inspection and quote!