When it comes to doing home maintenance, let’s face it; we’re talking about a never-ending job. No matter how well you maintain your home, there will always be some repairs or inspections to do. And in that situation, it’s important to prioritize; some household problems can be shelved until a more suitable time arrives. However – roof leaks are definitely not on that list. There are many real dangers of a leaking roof, which can cause you misery and problems; which is something we want to prevent. Make sure to take the needed precautions, if you don’t want to deal with a leaking roof insurance claim down the line. Don’t worry though; we’ve got some advice to make all of this easier to deal with!
Why is dealing with the dangers of a leaking roof important
As we’ve mentioned above; when it comes to home maintenance tasks, a leaky roof should be at the absolute top of your priorities. This isn’t an uncommon issue, and it’s one that can occur for many varying reasons. For example, you may be dealing with some badly done roof installations; or a general lack of maintenance. On the other hand, it doesn’t have to be about human error at all – it could simply be storm damage, or wind knocking something off. And really, in most cases a roof lasts around 30 years at most; so you may simply need to replace your roof. Regardless; it’s best to deal with the issue as soon as possible, instead of filing an insurance claim later. Of course, in that case, you’ll need the help of the best public adjuster Florida has; but all of that hassle can be avoided.
But why is even the smallest of leaks on your roof such a risk to your entire home? Are the dangers of a leaking roof really that great? Essentially – yes. On one hand, if you don’t repair this, you’ll be dealing with major structural damage. Even if it’s a small leak, eventually the water will find its way down to the foundation of your home; which is the kind of damage that will prove costly to repair. And on the other hand, leaking can also cause severe health risks. Trust us – this is the kind of issue you’ll want to deal with straight away.
Damage to your ceiling and attic
So, as we’ve established – dealing with the dangers of a leaking roof should definitely be on your annual household maintenance checklist. But what is the first thing to look out for? Well, in most cases, the initial damage that a roof leak will cause is somewhere in the attic area. Bear this in mind if you tend to store some important items there! And if you don’t have an attic in your home, or the leak is really large; it’ll do damage to the interior ceiling.
At first, the ceiling paint that the leak affects will darken. And then, you’ll see the ceiling plaster expand; it tends to bubble up because of the water. This is also the kind of damage you should expect on the walls that are nearby if you don’t deal with this immediately. And don’t forget the fans or lights you have mounted on the ceiling; these will sustain damage as well.
Mold damage is a long-term concern
So, what happens if you don’t deal with the dangers of a leaking roof right away? There are many quite serious consequences you can expect. And chief among these is the growth of mold or mildew. If you don’t deal with this on time, you will see the mold spreading through the entirety of your home. And once it reaches your HVAC system, there’s no telling of the damage it can do. By then, it’ll be able to invade all of your furniture and even your clothes. If you’re dealing with chronic water intrusion, you can expect to see black mold occurring. Truly toxic black mold isn’t something that happens often, but even the less toxic kind will damage your floor coverings or woodwork. And that’s a household issue that’s very costly to get rid of.
Mold means health concerns too
Worst of all is – when you have mold in your home, it’s not only structural damage or furniture repairs you’ll have to worry about. In fact, mold can also lead to some pretty extreme health issues; especially if you have highly sensitive people living in your household. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mold spores can cause all kinds of health issues, from nasal congestion to dangerous asthma. And once these spores are present in your home, you can expect them to reproduce, causing chronic allergic reactions in most people.
Less obvious issues
Naturally, if you don’t work on avoiding the dangers of a leaking roof on time; you may have to prepare for flooding situations. But apart from those, and the issues we’ve listed above – there are many other, less obvious dangers that most people aren’t aware of. For example – if your roof is leaking over a longer period of time, you can expect higher utility bills. How so? Well, one of the most costly kinds of damage that will happen is the damage to your home insulation. If you have fiberglass insulation or even cellulose – it will soak with water, and take a hell of a long time to dry out. And in that situation, the insulation will be completely useless. Which is why your household will have to spend quite a lot more on utility bills for heating and cooling systems.
