The roofing industry has changed quite a lot over the years. These days, homeowners are rarely opting for the standard, 3-tab shingles that were so popular a few decades ago. Instead, they are going with architectural shingles, and in some cases, with even more eco-friendly options like green roofing or slate. Whether you're shopping around for a new roof or are thinking of having repairs made to your current roof, it pays to be educated. Learn the basics on this blog, where we discuss roofing in the modern world. We explore various roofing materials, roofing techniques, and how to find the right roofer.
If you have a metal roof, it can be frustrating when you start to notice leaks. Before you can start with the repairs, you will need to find the cause. The following metal roof inspection information will help you locate problems that are causing damage to your home:
Checking All the Fasteners for Leaks
The inspection of metal roofing should begin with checking rubber components. Modern metal roofing has rubber reinforcements and seals for fasteners. Inspecting the seals for wear and damage is one of the most important steps when inspecting your roof. The problems with the fasteners that can cause leaks include:
- Rubber washers that are dry and cracking
- Missing rubber washers at fasteners
- Punctured rubber underlayment causing leaks
- Wear that causes leaks at the flashing and vulnerable areas
If you catch these problems before they get too bad, replacing the rubber components will stop the leaks. This should be part of regular maintenance when you clean the roof. If your roof does not have rubber reinforcement in vulnerable areas, talk to the roof repair contractor about installing it. This will help prevent a lot of the problems that cause leaks and other types of damage.
Inspecting the Finishes for Corrosion
The finishes of metal roofing are also vulnerable to problems. These issues start as scratches and other minor wear that leads to corrosion. Inspect the surface of the materials for problems with corrosion. Minor damage can be repaired by cleaning it up and touching up the finish. For more severe corrosion problems, you need to replace the damaged sections. Inspect the finish of metal roofing regularly to do touch up work before corrosion starts.
Identifying Areas With Storm Damage
There are also areas of your metal roof that can be damaged by storms. This damage is often due to wind or hail. Often, the wind will lift up sections of roofing, which causes leaks, and these problems need to be repaired. The damage caused by the hail is often cosmetic, but it can also cause blemishes that lead to corrosion. Therefore, you will probably want to replace sections of roofing with severe hail damage.
When you have a problem with damage to your metal roofing, you want to find the issue causing it. If you can't get on the roof and check yourself, call a roof repair service for help with repairs that are causing damage to your home.