Leaks in any roof can cause severe damages to the roof itself and the overall structure of its premises. Usually, once the leaks start, the structure of the roof absorbs the moisture until it gets to its saturation point. Once the roofing materials reach their saturation point, the moisture then seeps down to the very foundations of the building. This is why basements are often showing signs of seepage, and bad odours start to originate from this point. A building that has leaks in its roof not only suffers permanent damages to its structure, but the living conditions of such buildings are also not suitable for its residents.
We have identified some permanent roof damages that will occur if you have leaks in your roof.Paint And Finishing Destroyed
The first protective layer of any roof is its paint and the finishing coating. Sometimes consistent rain and accumulated snow will create small dams of water on your roof, which eventually seeps through these protective layers. Once the water enters the interior of your roof, materials, paint and finishing have already lost their protective abilities. If the colour is flaking off or seems irregular, then it means the first damage due to leaks has already occurred.
Walls And Ceiling Discoloration
After the water destroys the external paint job, it will sink even deeper, and this time, the interior paint and finish on the ceilings and walls will be damaged. The discoloration of the ceiling and walls is basically caused by the moisture that’s present in interior paints. It may dry off in the summer and possibly when there’s less humidity in the environment, but it will get damaged rapidly if the rain or snow season comes back again.
Decay And Mildew
After the interior paint is exposed to moisture due to leaks in the roof, the walls and wooden structure in your building will start to show signs of mildew or decay. Decay and mildew occur when the structural material starts to decompose because of the bacteria produced in moist areas of the building. The remedy of decay and fungus will be to reconstruct the destroyed parts of the building, which is highly expensive and will require excessive time in renovation and building services.
Drywall Damages
If your building walls and ceilings are made with drywall construction material, you’ll need to get the leaks fixed as soon as possible. That’s because the adhesion of the drywall is destroyed by moisture, and your walls will slowly turn to powder-based particles. Drywall ceilings often collapse if the roof leaks reach them. In this perspective, it’s highly recommended that you get your roofing leaks checked by professionals at your earliest convenience to avoid catastrophe.
Structural Wood Rots
If you used wood in your building structure, the moisture coming from the roof leaks would initiate their decomposition process. Wood undergoes a dangerous decaying process that releases harmful gasses and bacteria, which is hazardous for residents. Wood that’s decaying will lose its structural properties and will get reshaped, which will further reduce the strength of your overall building structure.
Electrical Wiring Hazards
Moisture can cause conductivity within electrical wiring and circuits, which is a dangerous hazard with very high risks involved. The electrical hazards may cause damages to your electrical appliances and can even start a fire, which is very dangerous for you and your loved ones. You can avoid all these damages by making sure you regularly get your roof inspected by experienced roofing professionals. You can minimize the cost of roofing repairs if you get your leaks fixed on time.
Stahl Roof Systems is highly capable of detecting and fixing your roof leaks before the real damage even begins. Check out our website and see the roofing services we offer or call us for a free quote on your custom roofing services here in Edmonton and its surrounding areas.
