How Bad can a Roofing Leak become?

Are you putting off much needed home repairs? Don’t worry; we’re not here to judge! There are plenty of things around the house that could use a bit of TLC, but that doesn’t mean that we necessarily have time to address them out. We’re sure that you’re feeling much the same about your own home. But there are some repairs that really do need to be addressed when you notice them, like a leaky roof. It’s critical that you take care of it before it spreads. Contractors call this “water intrusion”, and this term is much more dangerous than it sounds.

Here’s why: mold and mildew can develop in the strangest places. If water gets in, it’s going to go everywhere, including the vents. Mold spores can embed themselves in the carpet, on the walls, and even on furniture and clothing. Anything that’s damp and dark is a breeding ground for mold, and mold has a serious effect on the respiratory system. Even if no one in the house has breathing issues, they can easily develop them.

Roofing Leak

Another issue that doesn’t come up nearly enough would have to be the potential for a serious fire. If water gets onto electrical wires long term, it can short out the wires and cause a fire because current is still going to all of those wires. If there is a leak to an area, you’ll need to turn off the juice before you can get it examined.

If water is pooling on spots on the floor, it might not always be visible to the distracted and busy eye. This means that family members can slip and fall. These types of injuries clog emergency rooms all over the country, and are very commonplace. But commonplace doesn’t mean that it has to happen in your home. Stopping leaks early means that the chance for hazardous falls is minimized.

Your monthly utility bills may reveal another problem with a leaking roof, because it can tear up the insulation around the area. This means that your home no longer has the ability to trap air throughout the year. It will in turn cost more to heat and cool a home with weakened insulation than it will to just fix the problem before it gets to this point.

If you’re trying to keep your home for its long term value, then fixing leaks is important to the home’s structural integrity. It’s all about ensuring that the home has the right frame to keep on being a safe place for your family to live. But over time, water damage weakens your home’s ability to remain standing. It can even get down into the exterior trim and even the foundation, causing the entire home to shift. Clearly, this is very costly to repair and is best to fix before it gets to this stage.

If you’re dealing with a heavy roof leak that’s been left unaddressed for a while, you really do need to call a licensed contractor in order to handle things the right way. It’s tempting to go with more temporary companies to handle this problem, but that could make the problem worse if they don’t handle it properly. Even licensed outlets aren’t always equal. Look through reviews, ask for references, and make sure that you get a real estimate based on the problem rather than a figure made up in the office. This means that they will need to go and have access to the problem in order to give you a fair quote.