Spotting Signs of Roof Damage After A Storm From The Ground

No one will argue that the roof of our house is our primary protection against the elements. That means it bears the brunt of harsh sunlight, strong winds and heavy rains that hit us from time to time. With all the abuse it goes through, it would just be a matter of time before our roof begins sustaining some damage.

Typically, we check our roof for damage after a storm by climbing up the ladder and seeing it with our own eyes. There are, however, ways to determine roof damage without going up the ladder. There are signs of roof damage you can spot from ground level, and here are some of them.

Ceiling damage

The ceiling will eventually show signs of water penetration if you have roof damage. Water stains, sagging, warping and mould are some water penetration signs that you can spot without much effort.

Damaged shingles

Surveying your roof (we recommend you engage a roof specialist) to see if any part of it has shingles that are warped, dented, loose, lifted, curled, discoloured, rotted or missing. Tiles may also be dented, broken, pitted or cracked. You should also check the chimneys, skylight and vents and see if any flashing has detached.

Loss of granules

Check your down pipes and look around your driveway. Are you finding fine, gravel-like particles everywhere? If that is the case, then your  shingles are losing granules. When shingles start to lose these granules, it is a clear sign that your roof is slowly deteriorating.

Shingles in the yard

Seeing one shingle in the yard is not a good sign. Seeing several shingles everywhere in your yard is even worse. When the aftermath of a storm leaves a virtual field of roof shingles around your house, have it fixed right away or the roof damage will only get worse.

When you see these signs of roof damage from the ground, we recommend that you take a closer look so you can assess immediately  the extent of the roof damage. Better yet, have a roofing professional perform a certified roof inspection after a storm. A roofing professional is in a much better position to conduct a storm damage evaluation and recommend the necessary roof repairs or if need be, the necessary roof replacement. It is also a more cost effective solution that can save your thousands of dollars down the track if further damage isn’t rectified.

And don’t forget. It is worth checking with your insurance company to see if  your home insurance policy covers roof damage that is caused by a storm. Many do, and that will help!