In Baltimore City, a majority of building and homeowners fail to realize that their roof has been damaged until they start seeing loose shingles or cracks, at which point the problem has already gone out of hand. The only effective way of catching these problems early, when they are much cheaper and simpler to correct, is to let a professional roofing company carry out regular roof inspections. This will help bring light to any potential problems with your roofing system and prevent them from damaging your surrounding areas.

Avoiding and Addressing Roof Damage in Baltimore City

• Understand Your Roofing System – Shingles are placed on top of your rafters and roof deck, which contain the entire roof’s foundation. The rafters are placed beneath the roof deck, also known as sheathing. It is critical that your base is concrete, steady, and free from wood decay and able to be nailed.
• Be Aware of Your Area’s Risks – Make sure you know the natural hazards that are specific to your area in Baltimore City. How often do wind storms and floods occur, and how intense they usually are? Contact your emergency management office for more information.
• Wind Uplift – Even if your particular area doesn’t experience severe storms, your roof may eventually get damaged due to constant winds. A key issue that is widespread when it comes to wind damage is wind uplift – where strong wind gets trapped underneath the roofing material and pushes them up. This leaves wrinkles or bubbles in the roof because the materials or membrane are no longer properly attached.

When your roofing membrane is pressed up from the exterior, rain can get trapped underneath and start rotting the materials. In order to deal with such uplifting, the metal edge flashing should be attached securely. It is also crucial to tie down fascia since it can damage the flashing if it is loose or if a powerful wind pulls it off. Make sure to always check the fascia and edge flashing for any symptoms of damage and if you do come across anything unusual, have it fixed or replaced immediately.

• Wind Scouring – In addition to wind uplifting, another key concern that might impact your roofing system is wind scouring. Wind scouring takes place when a powerful gust of wind clings on to the granules from the roofing membrane or removes the gravel placed as a component of the exterior on built-up roofs. Even though there might not be any visible indication of the damage, wind scouring can seriously deteriorate your roof and impact its longevity. The whole roofing system begins to get damaged at a much faster rate. At the end of the day, you can have complete or partial roof system failure that will lead to the property requiring a brand new replacement roof, which can be a costly endeavor.

In conclusion, remember that it does not take powerful thunderstorms and lightning to bring significant damage to flat commercial roof systems; constant exposure to winds can also result in deterioration. The older the roof and more powerful the wind, the more significant the damage will be. The key is to let a professional have a look once in a while. If you feel like it’s been a long since you last got your roofing system inspected in Baltimore City, then get in touch with us today to find more about your inspection and maintenance options, and get a price quote. For more information about our company, click here.