Unfortunately roof damage cannot be avoided completely. Wind damage, hail damage, tree damage and animal damage are all common types of damage that occur on roofs. There are things you can do to help prevent some of those types of damage.

Tree Damaged Shingles

Tree damage is one of the top causes of damage to shingles and roofs. Branches, or even whole trees, can break or fall during severe storms. Heavy winds can cause branches to rub and tear shingles. Ice, which is an uncommon cause here in Austin but one that was very problematic in the February winter storm, can build up on the branches, the weight of which may become too much for the branches causing them to break and fall on the roof. Branches that rub against your roof or fall onto the roof can either cause minor damage like granule loss or major damage like torn off shingles or holes through the decking. To help prevent this, make sure any trees around your home have had their branches trimmed back a few feet from the roof.

 Animal Damaged Shingles

Animal damage is another common cause of roof damage. They scratch and tear away at shingles hoping to gain access to your attic for a nice warm place to stay. Not only do they cause damage to the shingles and decking but they can also wreak havoc inside your attic and their entry point will also be an entry point for other critters, insects, and water. Keeping tree limbs trimmed back away from your roof helps prevent the animals from gaining easy access to the roof.

Roof Penetrations

Any penetration on your roof is susceptible to water intrusion. For example, satellite dishes. While satellite dishes are great to have, they are often installed on your roof, which means the bracket was bolted through the shingles. These holes allow water to leak in and cause further damage to your roof and home such as rotted wood and interior water damage. Satellite dishes can also be torn off the roof by tree branches or high winds causing a larger area of damage. When possible, roof penetrations should be avoided.

Roof Inspections

This year has brought unexpected and severe weather events, such as the February winter storm and multiple hailstorms in the Austin and surrounding areas. It has also been one of the wettest summers on record. Water spots on your ceilings and lifted or missing shingles are signs that repairs are needed on your roof. Even if you don’t see anything out of the ordinary when looking up at your roof, after the year we’ve had with weather, it may be a good idea to have your roof inspected by a local roofing contractor, like J-Conn Roofing. J-Conn Roofing can do a thorough inspection of your roof to determine if it needs a roof repair or to be replaced. Having repairs addressed right away helps to prevent more costly damage like damaged decking and interior damage.