Damage to Roofing & Framing

Water

• Ripped roof underlay or underlay installed incorrectly lets water get underneath your shingles and devastate your roofing and framing. Left untended, this results in mold, mildew and fungus, destroying wood and compromising the health of your home's residents. Improperly installed flashing, used to run water off your roof, sends water where it's not wanted. After having any roof work done, double-check to confirm that the entire roof is sound and complies with building codes.

Trees

• When trees come down and land on your house’s roof, the damage to your roofing and framing may be substantial. Trees that break through your roof also break roofing components such as trusses or rafters and can split wall framing that holds up these elements, causing secondary damage to the floors below. Attend to this kind of damage immediately to prevent the weather from doing any further damage to weakened structures.

Winds

• Severe winds that tornadoes and hurricanes bring are known to blow roofs off. Building codes in regions of the country susceptible to these types of storms usually require homes to be able to withstand specific wind speeds. But that does not prevent damage to roofing and framing when your house stands in the path of a bad storm. Contact local contractors if you live in tornado- or hurricane-prone regions for information on how to strengthen your roofing and framing beyond what local building codes require.

Sun and Oxygen

• Oxygen combines with the sun’s ultraviolet rays to cause more damage than most people think. Oxidation combined with ultraviolet light can weaken roof systems to the point at which they no longer provide a reliable barrier to the weather. To prevent this, inspect your roof on an annual basis and apply roofing tar or the appropriate caulk to areas around plumbing vents and air vents to keep water and wind from getting in.