Warning signs of roof damage?

So, the best way to avoid roof damage is prevention. Getting up on the roof and having it inspected regularly is the best way to avoid tragedy. However, things happen. There are storms, branches fall, you can’t completely thwart nature, you can only prevent and get ahead of damage that occurs over time. Once you’ve climbing up on your roof how are you supposed to know if there’s trouble? Unless you’re getting a professional inspector ever time how are you supposed to know what to look for?

Since 80% percent of roofs on homes are made of asphalt shingles in North America we’re going to focus on those. So let's start with the fascia. Fascia is the sideboard of the wood paneling that trims the roof. Start there and check for signs of water damage such as:

Soft spots, green algae, places where the board is starting to come apart, wood rot.  If the fascia is pulling away from your house, look deeper for more damage. It may already be time to call an expert.

The next thing to check is the Soffit. The soffit is the bottom panel of the wood paneling that trims the roof, it keeps pests and vermin from getting inside through the roof while still letting in enough air for proper ventilation. That’s why the soffit has vents cut into it. Check if the vents are blocked, those can be cleaned. However, if the screens are ripped or there are other problems it might be time to get the soffit replaced.

Next we move on to the Shingles. Shingles are what most people picture as the roof. They’re the flat rectangle pieces that overlap each other and pretty much cover the entire surface. Shingles are relatively simple as far as age and damage. They’re okay or they’re not. Are they laying relatively flat? They’re good. Are some of them curling? Not good. Are they growing anything? Not good. Have some been torn off completely? Not good. The black streaky stuff you might see on a lighter colored roof? Surprisingly okay, harmless algae.

Then there’s the Drip Edge. The drip edge is that piece on the roofs edge between the sheathing and the fascia board. Basically, the space where the shingles stop there’s a thin strip of metal that catches rain from the shingles and away from other parts of the roof is the drip edge. You may have trouble seeing the drip edge if you have gutters. The only thing you’re really checking on is obvious damage and rust.

Finally, flashings. Flashings are metal strips that can be found anywhere that the roof joins something else, like a chimney or even creates a valley. This is to protect against leaks. Check for rust or oxidation (darkening). Make sure any tar is still healthy, not dried out.