A damaged roof can be a real eyesore. But the problems that arise from loose roof shingles are much more significant than aesthetics and can cost you a lot in future repairs. A few loose shingles may not seem like a big deal at first, but they can become a big deal very quickly if not dealt with promptly. Ignoring your damaged roof can lead to any of the following problems.
Water Can Leak
The biggest damage loose shingles can cause to your home occurs thanks to the water it lets in. A roof is built to slough off water and redirect it to gutters and away from a house. Loose shingles, however, are like chinks in a house’s armor. When precipitation falls, it gets into the cracks and begins to seep into ceilings and walls, injuring the house. Identifying water damage after the fact is too late to avoid the problems it’s already caused, so you’ll be much more productive if you check for and repair loose shingles promptly, avoiding such damages in the first place.
Your Property Value Can Decline
When people consider buying a house, they often check the roof or pay for an inspector to look it over professionally. Either way, loose shingles on your roof will result in bills for repairs before someone will buy your property. If the shingles have been severely damaged or let in a lot of water over time, there will be even bigger expenses to take care of before someone will consider buying at the price you’re asking. Overall, the cost of leaving shingles loose is much greater than getting a small repair done now.
Higher Risk During Storms
Even if your loose shingles don’t seem to be letting in water right now, leaving them can put you at a higher risk for major roof damage later. Storms and severe weather, in general, will often rip off or further loosen shingles, so if your roof already has damaged shingles you’re much more vulnerable. The precipitation in a severe storm is also a lot more likely to get in, resulting in bigger repairs and costs for you afterward. It’s smart, if you know there’s severe weather likely ahead, to check your roof for problems, clean gutters, and replace damaged shingles right then if possible.
Your Deck Can Be Damaged
Another problem with loose shingles is that they can fall. When it’s just on the grass there’s not much of a problem, but on places like your deck, you can sustain a different kind of damage. Your deck is a valuable part of your home and should be protected, especially from the scuffs and scratches that falling shingles cause. In some cases, they can even dent your deck, leading to splinter formation and possible injury for anyone who steps on it.
Cracking of Home’s Structure
The damage that water can cause after leaking through a loose shingle also has the potential to hurt the house in a bigger way. During cold seasons, building materials actually shrink thanks to the low moisture content in extremely cold air. This phenomenon combined with water slipping through a loose shingle and then freezing will result in the expanding and cracking of the wood it has seeped into. If the leak is big, whole sections of the roof, ceiling, or walls can become compromised and even entirely fall in at the slightest force. And, with every freezing storm that follows, the water goes deeper and deeper into the house, furthering such fissures and causing much more damage than you’d think.
It Encourages Mold
In warmer climates, a loose shingle leads to entirely different but still serious issues. When water, wet leaves, or damp debris get beneath a loose shingle, the buildup can encourage rot and mold. Why does that matter? Wood damage compromises the safety of your roof, and mold in particular is bad for any homeowner. Not only are the bills for repairs quite costly, but you also run the risk of experiencing health problems from mold. Considering health is priceless, the cost of repairing your shingles is well worth the expense.
Your Energy Bills Can Get Higher
Separate from water, a damaged roof can have effects on other parts of your house as well. Roofs are one of the primary ways that heat and cold get into a house, specifically if the type of roof isn’t high quality. But, regardless of the type of weather, it is much harder for any roof to keep the elements out when part of it is compromised. Loose shingles truly do make a difference, in that matter. Because of this, in the hotter and colder months, you may find your energy bills going up for the simple fact that extreme temperatures get in through the gaps in your roof. Repairing those shingles now will help you avoid yet another high cost in the future.
Your Roof Deck Can Be Compromised
Not to be confused with a normal deck, your roof deck refers to the structural component part of your roof—a wooden board that, if damaged, can lead to a lot of structural issues. Your roof deck is just between the rafters and the underlayment below the shingles, often made of plywood, and it ties all of the other roof components together. If it weakens thanks to moisture leaking from loose shingles, it can rot and even allow for insect infestations. Though it should last you around twenty years, damaged roof shingles can significantly shorten the life of your roof deck and require roofing experts to use specialized equipment to fix it.
The roofing of your house contributes greatly to its structural integrity and safety. All it takes is a small crack in a dam to start a flood, and the same goes for a loose shingle and the resulting roof problems that follow. You can easily replace a shingle with a little research, or hire roofers for bigger shingle damage if necessary. Simply ignoring the loose shingle, however, will only exacerbate the cost and time you have to expend later. Get that shingle fixed and keep your roof protected for years to come.
If your roof could use some extra work, let us take care of it for you! Contact us today to schedule a service.