Residential Roofing: Why It's Incredibly Important to Get Right

Jan 8
15:43

2012

Andrea Avery

Andrea Avery

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Residential roofing is nothing short of essential to get right. Find out what happens when you do not take steps to protect your roof, home or your family.

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Residential roofing is one of those areas of homeownership that many people do not put enough time into. The fact is,Residential Roofing: Why It's Incredibly Important to Get Right Articles though, that having a roofing system that's protective and properly positioned is critical to maintaining your home's integrity. It may seem like it's just a few shingles flying off the top of your home, but it is far more than that. If you own a home, you need to know what to notice, what to do and why to do it if you have any concerns regarding your floor. Doing so is the only way to ensure your home remains safe for those you love to live in it.

Structural Safety

One of the biggest things to look for in residential roofing is just how sound the underlying structure is. If you plan to replace the shingles but do nothing for the actual wood structure underneath, you could be creating a bigger problem than was present previously. This structure ensures a few important things. First, it makes sure that water drains properly. It also keeps the overall roofing materials positioned in such a way to keep them from causing water pooling, which can be very dangerous for the home.

Next, consider where the water drains from your roof. When rain or snow hit the roof, what happens to it? In a good residential roofing scenario, the water drains into the gutters which carries it away from the home. Does this happen? If the water simply falls off the edge, due to improperly positioned or missing gutters, it likely hits into the foundation of the home. As the soil washes away, the foundation becomes more exposed and there is an increased risk that water will seep into the basement of the home. This will cause larger problems, including the inability of the foundation to provide adequate support for the home. A leaning home, for example, is an unstable one.

There are other potential problems present when the home's roof structure is not safe. For example, you may experience problems with the residential roofing leaking. You head up and do some patch work. It seems to stop the leak. However, the water that leaked into the roof has saturated the insulation in your home. Plus, the leak may only be slowed, not stopped properly. When t his happens, the water remains present and can quickly lead to mold conditions. Even if you cannot see them, the mold spores enter the air inflaming your lungs and worsening asthma symptoms. In some, this presence of mold goes undetected for years and the whole time, your family may be ill.

What can you do then to ensure that your roof is in good working order? It is important to have a residential roofing expert out to the home to offer guidance and information about what the best solution is. Each situation needs special attention. However, it is possible to get your home back to a healthy living environment.