The roof of your home can develop a leak for a wide range of reasons, but most relate to the water being allowed to soak under the shingles, through the plywood sheathing, and into your home. While it might be tempting to ignore signs of this problem — perhaps you're just naturally a procrastinator, or maybe your budget is tight and you're nervous about the cost of having the problem repaired — doing so will only lead to further complications. This simply isn't a problem that will go away on its own, and you'll need to hire a roofing contractor to repair the damage. Here are some specific reasons that you shouldn't ignore the signs that your roof is leaking.
Increasing Cost
When you act quickly upon noticing that your roof is leaking, it's likely that your roofing contractor can fix the problematic area at little cost. Left unattended, though, the repair estimate for this job is apt to increase. When a leaky roof is ignored, large sections of the plywood sheathing will get saturated and ruined. The roof trusses, too, can take on water and begin to warp. The water that drains into your attic will ruin the insulation and, upon making its way through the insulation, will eventually damage the drywall on your ceilings and walls. You can avoid all this damage, and the associated expense, by acting quickly and hiring a roofing contractor.
Reduced Air Quality
Another concern about failing to address a leaking roof in a timely manner is that the water that soaks into your attic and beyond will eventually lead to the growth of mold. Even if only your attic is moldy, the mold will be able to travel through the air and into the living quarters of your home, harming the overall air quality. This can pose a risk to the health of every member of your family, but is especially detrimental to people who have breathing-related health issues, such as a child with asthma.
Recognizable Signs
Knowing the risks of ignoring a leaky roof, it's important that you're able to identify the symptoms of this issue. If you have roofing shingles in your yard after a windy day, it could mean the roof is susceptible to leaking. Of course, an obvious sign is wet insulation in the attic or wet sheathing overhead in the attic. It's a good idea to call a local roofing contractor, such as those found at B & B Roofing, right away if you encounter any of these situations.
