6 common types of roof repair

Home maintenance can be incredibly stressful, especially when all your possessions and the safety of your loved ones come under threat.

Some maintenance you can do yourself, DIY style, including routine cleaning, and minor repairs around the home.

One area you should always leave to the professionals, however, are roof repairs. Roof problems come in all shapes and sizes, but all share the same threat to the structural integrity of your property.

The earlier that you spot a roofing problem and contact your local roofer the better, giving them the best possible chance of being able to repair the roof completely and avoid complete replacement being required.

To help you spot the early signs of roofing issues, we have put together this guide to 6 of the most common roof repairs performed on domestic roofs in the UK.

1)    Tile/shingle replacement

The are a huge number of different tiles and shingles used on properties across the nation. Over the years, each one will naturally degrade to a certain extent as a result of continued exposure to the sun and extreme weather conditions.

If you fail to deal with shingle related issues, the problem will quickly escalate into leakages and the other nearby shingles are likely to follow suit.

Just some of the shingle related issues that we carry out repairs for on a regular basis include granule loss, shrinking, cracked or dislodged tiles and shingles, splitting, and much more besides.

2)    Leaks

The worst nightmare of any property owner, water leaks occurring due to your roof being compromised can do a huge amount of damage to your possessions and home.

The precise issue causing the leak, may it be a loose tile, or cracked flashing, can be difficult to identify, but a leak will make its presence felt very clearly and you should call your local roof repair expert the second you spot one, no matter how minor it may be.

A large percentage of the roof repair jobs that we are called out to have started with the homeowner spotting a water leak. There is a good chance that roof repairs to deal with leaks may be covered by your insurance but either way, having the work done will save you a huge amount of money in the long run by avoiding major structural damage and even complete roof replacement.

3)    Gutter repair

Gutters play an incredibly important role in your home. They remove water from the roof safely, and prevent it from pooling near your property, keeping you safe during periods of heavy rain.

Gutter damage is, therefore, a serious threat, and leaves and debris building up over time is a common cause of blockages that prevent your guttering from working as it should.

You should have your gutters regularly cleaned to prevent this from happening (once a quarter if possible). If it is too late for this, however, and your gutter is cracked or has come away from the property, you need to call a roof repair expert as soon as possible.

4)    Standing water

Flat roofs can be stylish and extremely convenient so it is no surprise that they are installed on many residential homes and outbuildings across the nation.

That said, if they are not installed with the appropriate sloping, or weathering causes depressions to form over time, water can being to pool on the surface, particularly during periods of heavy rain.

If you don’t take action to avoid this, you will soon be dealing with a lot worse than a few puddles as this additional weight can lead to the roof membrane being permanently damaged and major leaks occurring.

5)    Lack of ventilation

Many people don’t even realise that their roof needs ventilation, but it absolutely does, and a lack of it can have severe consequences, including high energy prices, leaking, and mould and mildew growth occurring as a result of the high humidity level in your attic.

When conducting repairs on your property, roofers will not only check that the roof is weatherproof and that water is unable to penetrate it, but also that there is an appropriate amount of ventilation. This may include the replacement or relocation of air vents if required. To avoid this being a major issue in your future, make sure to choose an experienced roofing company when installing your new roof as they will know exactly how many vents are required and where they need to be located.

6)    Flashing repair

Flashing plays a key role in protecting your chimneys, vents, and shingles from water and must be repaired immediately if it comes away from the mounting surface.

The caulking used to install flashing has a much shorter lifespan than the roof itself and should be inspected for signs of deterioration on a regular basis.

For more information on any of the roof repair services we offer, get in touch with Vertex Roofing Glasgow today.