A roof is one of a building’s most crucial shields against the outside environment. A fault located anywhere, could slowly compromise its integrity until it is too late. Before you decide on repairing, replacing, or building a roof, you should understand how it interacts with where you live.

There are many aspects of life that we, as homeowners or business owners, can control. The weather is not one of them. So, the first thing you need to be aware of is what sort of roofing material you have or need, to withstand the elements. When a storm has passed by, it is often important to check out how your roof looks. One mistake people tend to make with their roofs is that they assume everything is okay if there is no visible damage. Your roof does not have to have exterior damage to be considered compromised by bad weather. Here are a few ways the elements can make things difficult for your roof:

Extreme Temperatures:

Regardless of where you live, temperatures will always affect a roof’s integrity in a variety of ways. For those who live where ice, snow, or extreme cold are common, your roofing material can become brittle and weak. Ice and snow that piles up over several weeks at a time can block airflow inside your attic. Piled up ice can also add up a sizeable amount of weight and therefore exert more pressure on your roof. This can, if left unchecked, result in damage. On the other side of the thermometer, relentless heat bearing down on your roof can age it prematurely and affect the ventilation process. This can also lead to additional troubles like having a very hot building interior or having increased energy bills.

Rain and Hail:

What goes up, must eventually come down! Thunderstorms, rain, and hail are common throughout the country. Excessive rainfall is even more common in the Southern United States, where high temperatures and humidity can usually lead to powerful storms and wet conditions. While there are roofs out there that are designed to repel rain, this does not mean they are completely water repellant. If a roof takes enough consistent damage over time, this can lead to leaks, mold, and rot inside the layers of your roof. Improper roof installations can also lead to loose shingles or tiles that can be prone to allowing water damage. Hail is the phenomenon of water droplets freezing in the cold upper regions of a thundercloud, and then falling to Earth as solid precipitation. Hailstones can be small little pellets, and in the most severe storms, range to the size of baseballs. Solid masses falling from thousands of feet in the air is not good for any roof. And in the most severe cases can cause major damage and even involve a roof replacement. Therefore, inspecting your roof after severe weather is important. The sooner you can spot major damage, the quicker you can repair it.

Hurricanes:

A massive cyclonic storm that involves damaging rotating winds and fierce rainfall, hurricanes are simply a part of life in coastal North Carolina. Most seasoned residents are used to these storms, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know how these weather systems affect your roof. During a hurricane, a center mass of low-pressure called “the eye” forms the core of the storm. Here, winds are usually calmest, while the outer walls of the storm involve powerful wind speed and rain. This combination of wind and rain is a powerful force that can tear roofs to pieces, or even outright destroy them and warrant replacement. Warm water temperatures give hurricanes their awesome power, which is common in the Southern United States. In the latter parts of the year (August through September), hurricanes are most likely to form and make landfall. So, it’s important to make sure your roof is strong enough to withstand these conditions. If your roof is compromised and not repaired properly after a hurricane passes, moisture and other elements can compromise the inside.

You might not be able to control the weather, but you can arm yourself with knowledge on where you live, what roof works best for your environment, and how to spot/repair potential damage before it gets any worse. And the first step to being better protected against the elements is having a roofing contractor who is worth their salt in knowledge and experience. All Seasons Roofing has been a source of quality and trust in both residential and commercial roofing for over 3 generations. We will let you know what kind of roof you need most, install it correctly the first time, and not bog you down in extra headaches. Be confident in your roof as it stands up against what mother nature throws at it. Give us a call and get your free quote at 910.799.2197