If you live in Scotland, you will be all too aware of how important your roof is as a defence against a huge number of different weather conditions.
Take care of your roof, and your roof will take care of you for many decades to come.
But what exactly is the best way to take care of your roof? After all, most of us don’t think too much about what is going on above our heads until something goes wrong.
Well, the easiest way to protect your roof from harm is simply to keep an eye on it, both yourself with visual inspections from the ground, and by having it checked every so often by a professional roof repair expert.
If you spot any leaks coming from your roof, a sudden drop in energy efficiency, loose shingles, or a missing tile, you need roof repair services as soon as possible to maintain your roof and keep your home and family safe.
Acting fast at the first sign of roofing issues and contacting an expert specialising in roof repairs in Glasgow can save you many thousands of pounds by avoiding complete roof replacement.
This guide will give you all the information that you could possibly need about roof repairs including common signs of damage, how to tell when repair is no longer enough and a new roof is needed, and how to find the perfect roof repair company for your needs.
Signs that your roof needs to be repaired
Some of the clearest indications that your roof has been damaged and repair services are required include:
Missing Shingles
If you can see gaps in the shingles on your roof, or you find parts of your shingles on the ground outside your home or clogging up your gutters, this is a clear sign that your roof has begun to deteriorate and repair is needed.
On closer inspection, any shingles that are cracked or begun to curl are also likely to be coming towards the end of their lifespan.
Broken gutters
Guttering that is cracked, collapsed, or has come away from the side of the property must be repaired as soon as possible.
Gutters play an invaluable role in keeping water away from your home and without them you will soon experience problems involving water pooling in and around your home, doing untold structural damage.
Leaks
Leaks or damp in the attic are often the first sign people notice of damage to their roof, mainly because it is visible from inside the property.
Roof leaks have the potential to do extensive damage to the structure of your home, causing wooden beams to rot and destroying property.
There are many things that could cause a leak, from a blocked gutter to a missing tile, but only a professional roof repair expert will be able to tell you for sure.
Drop in energy efficiency
If you find that you are having difficultly keeping your home warm, and that you are spending more than ever before on your heating, there is clearly a problem with the thermal efficiency of your home, and your roof could be the cause.
A crack or small hole will allow cold air in and warm air out, compromising your insulation and costing you thousands in lost heat. A water leak seeping into your insulation will also compromise your heat retention.
When might roof replacement be needed?
Roof repair can go a long way, extending the life of your roof for many years by tackling minor issues before they escalate into something more serious.
At some point, however, the time will come where a new roof is your best option. When this exact moment is will depend on a number of factors but usually when it is no longer cheaper to repair the roof on a regular basis than simply to have the whole thing repaired.
How to find the perfect roof repair company?
Finding the right repair company in your area is critical to ensuring your roofing issues don’t last any longer than necessary.
First, ask your trusted friends and neighbours for any recommendations. Then, look online for some reviews of a roofing company’s previous work and check out the qualifications that they have.
Any roof repair company that you use in the UK should be a member of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, guaranteeing a certain standard of expertise, and ensuring that all work carried out is fully backed by an Insurance Backed Guarantee.
Whenever possible, the NFRC recommends that you have as many as three different contractors look at a job before picking between them and get multiple quotes whenever possible.
This doesn’t mean that you should always opt for the cheapest quote possible, but does protect you against being overcharged for the work and gives you multiple options to choose from.