At first glance, organising a roof inspection after a major storm may seem pretty obvious. In actual fact, this practice is more than just obvious – it’s critically important. Roof structures may suffer serious damage, affecting the integrity of your home and creating quite significant problems.
Possible Roof Problems after a Storm
Major storms deliver very strong forces applied directly to the roof structure. Strong winds and rain can shear roof fittings and attachments, creating multiple weak points. These weak points, in turn, can create leaks, and even cause structural damage.
Gale force winds of up to 100 km/h plus can be particularly damaging. While most roofs, particularly metal roofs, are structurally very strong, this is an enormous amount of physical force. Cyclonic winds are even stronger and can do proportionately more damage.
Another very common and highly destructive problem is debris landing on the roof. Tree branches fired at high speeds by strong winds can hit like sledgehammers. If you live in Sydney, you may be familiar with these “shrapnel” effects from recent storms.
This debris can actually penetrate roof structures, create leaks, and do physical damage to internal roof structures and insulation. This type of damage can be severe, causing multiple problems for ceilings and potentially letting in leaks to house wall interiors.
Do NOT delay getting an inspection if your roof has suffered damage. There is a real risk of severe additional damage from subsequent storms and rain. In dollar terms, the cost of repairs is likely to increase dramatically, and quickly, if you do not have at least basic repairs done ASAP. Even basic temporary repairs, like a tarpaulin cover, can prevent additional costs.
THE ROOF INSPECTION PROCESS
Roof inspection needs to be meticulous. Some damage will be obvious, but other types of damage and are harder to find and may be invisible from the outside. It is necessary to get into the roof and inspect roof structures, flashings, and insulation.
It’s best to get professional roofers to do the inspection. With all due respect to builders and tradesmen, roofing problems can be quite complex, and if severe damage is involved, expert assessment is required. Professional roofers can also assess the cost of repairs and provide useful advice about appropriate fixes for specific types of damage.
GETTING ADVICE FROM YOUR ROOFERS
Your roofers will be able to provide you with a detailed analysis of the damage, what needs fixing, and the costs involved. They will also be able to provide you with a quick assessment of possible interior risks and fixes.
Please make sure that you fully understand the roofing damage problems. The classic mistake with roof damage is to settle for a cheap fix, rather than actually address problems. A cheap fix can actually be more expensive if it simply patches the roof and doesn’t solve the problems caused by storm damage. It’s wasted money which would be better spent on top quality repairs.
Need Expert Help with Your Roof in Sydney?
One Stop Roofing is your all-round service for roofing in Sydney. Call us or contact us online and talk to our roofing experts about your needs. We are happy to provide you with any services you need, including metal roofing, polycarbonate roofing, and other roofing supplies.
