While Florida sees its fair share of warm sunny days, we also see weather that has the potential to damage your roof easily. High speed winds, rainy summer afternoons, and hurricane season are all wearing down your roof each year. When disaster does strike, we have a few handy tips for you to ‘weather’ the storms by using these preventative measures.
Sun Damage
In the same way that the sun damages your skin, years of sunshine beating down on your home also has long-term aging effects on your roof. The sun emits ultraviolet radiation which causes the asphalt on shingles to become brittle, causing them to crack and Ultraviolet rays also cause damage to coatings and sealants on the roofing materials and leads to a slow bleaching of roof tiles over time.
A roof with cracked or damaged areas will allow air into the ventilation space in your roof, affecting your indoor temperatures over time. If you notice a rise in indoor temperature or see that tiles or shingles are cracked or missing, it’s time to call in one of our contractors to assess the damage.
Solutions to Sun Damage
Contact us if your roof is older than 20 years, and we at AABCO Roofing will be able to consult with you about which materials would be the best for your roof. To withstand the Sunshine State’s constant heat and sunshine you will need proper quality roofing that is formulated to bare the force of the sun all year round.
Wind Damage
Wind is a tricky force to protect against because it catches on to all the corners and edges of your roof and can often blow debris over from somewhere else entirely, smashing it into your roof and causing damage. The strain from the wind on the ridges of your roof creates a suction on the rest of the roof. This suction pulls on the roof and causes strain between the roofing material and the underlayment. These cracks allow moisture to enter through your roof allowing an environment for mold and rot to develop. Wind also causes nearby trees to fall over or scratch against the roofing materials and wear down their protective coatings over time.
Solutions to Wind Damage
If you receive heavy wind warnings, make sure to clear any debris around your home such as limbs from large trees. And when planting any new trees ensure they are planted further away from your home to avoid future trouble. After a serious wind event or hurricane, have the integrity of your roof inspected so that you can address any damage before it will need to undertake more strain. Not all damage is visible to the naked eye, and our experts can get up close and personal with the roof to assess important areas. The roofs in hurricane areas are made to withstand the heavy wind load expected to be seen, however it can only handle so much strain before it fails.
Lightning Damage
Florida sees about 70 to 100 days of lightning per year, with lightning being one of the most dangerous weather hazards in the Sunshine State. When lightning strikes, the shock from the force as well as the pressure from the blast can damage your roof tiles and send debris flying. An additional hazard is the heat that lightning strikes generate, which surge through all metal components of the roof such as metal gutters, wiring and metal rods. Thatch roofs, wood and insulation are also at risk of being set on fire from this heat.
Preventative Solutions to Lightning Damage
The factors that affect where lightning will strike are location and height and for this reason it is important to install a lightning rod to act as the path of least resistance for lightning to travel through safely to the ground.
Hurricane Damage
Hurricanes are the source of some of the most devastating damage to homes. During these intense storms your roof is under threat of high-speed winds and pouring rain as well as immense pressure changes. For these reasons it is of the utmost importance that you carry out regular roof maintenance at least once yearly or before storm season begins in June.
Preventative Solutions Against Hurricane Damage
Florida has building codes in place to ensure that roofs meet standards that can withstand the force of hurricanes. It is important that your roof has good impact resistance to protect you from flying debris and that the roofing has proper bracing to keep it intact during a storm.
If your roof has suffered damage, note that it is cheaper and easier to do a complete reroof than to continue patching up and repairing it. It is also important to make sure that you are completely storm protected before hurricane season starts. If your roof becomes damaged, always call a trained professional such as the team at AABGCO Roofing to assess the damage rather than inspecting it yourself.
