Your roof can take a beating over time as it’s exposed to the elements, and it can certainly sustain damage in a short amount of time when there’s a severe storm that affects the roof’s ability to keep moisture out of your home. When you have water entering your home through the roof, it can quickly become a major problem because of the potential for water damage and resulting mold growth. If you’re not certain exactly what’s considered a roofing emergency, here are some things you should know to ensure you get emergency roof repair in Sandy Springs in a timely manner.
Roofing Emergency
A roofing emergency can occur from circumstances in a short amount of time, or you may find yourself in a roofing emergency because of factors that have contributed over a longer period of time. Any time you have water entering your home because of a failure of the roofing system, you can consider it a roofing emergency. A sudden leak that’s damaging your property is an emergency, especially because it’s much more difficult to address than a minor leak. Damage that results in this type of leak is usually caused by a section of shingles or metal panel that gets torn off the roof. This causes the underlying substrate to be damaged and allow water to penetrate your home. A puncture in the roof from flying objects or lightning that results in a large leak is another emergency roof repair. Any damage that permits a significant amount of water to enter the home or that compromises the roof structure itself requires immediate roof repair.
Causes of Roofing Emergencies
In some cases, a roof that’s sustained damage over time isn’t considered a roofing emergency because deterioration, a few missing shingles, or clogged rain gutters cause minor leaks and can be avoided with good roof maintenance and regular repairs. However, sometimes a problem that starts small like this can become an emergency because of high winds or heavy rain or snow. In general, severe storms are the cause of most roofing emergencies because they produce high winds, hail, rain, and snow that cause tiles or shingles to come away from the roof in larger sections. Harsh weather can also rip away flashing and gutters and make large cracks or holes that allow water to enter. Debris from high winds is another common cause of roofing emergencies because they can tear away roof components or even puncture the roof itself.
What to Do in an Emergency
It can be tempting to get up on your roof when you know your roof has sustained damage to survey the damage yourself, but it’s important that you leave this to the professionals. Call your insurance company and a roofing company to get the repair process started, but in the meantime, there are some things you can do to make sure you and your home are safe until help arrives. If there is serious flooding through the roof, turn off the electricity and try to catch as much water as possible. Cover furniture and belonging as well as you can with tarps.
How to Be Prepared
You can’t be certain when you’ll experience a roofing emergency, so in order to be prepared make sure you have a roofing contractor ready to call when an emergency does occur. This will ensure you get help quickly. If you’ve already suffered a roofing emergency, contact Superior Roofing Company of Georgia right away.