Minimizing Secondary Roof Damage After A Storm

12/31/2020 (Permalink)

storm damaged roof

When it comes to severe weather events like Thunderstorms along with high winds in south-central Illinois, these conditions are often the leading cause of structural damage to residential property and local businesses. While prevention and routine inspections are extremely helpful to avoiding a roof leak, sometimes mother nature is still often too powerful to avoid her visiting your home or business with a major blow to your property. If during or right after a catastrophic storm event causes damages to your roof, getting it taken care of immediately is necessary to avoid extensive water damage remediation and repairs. If the storm was big enough, unfortunately, you may not get instant relief.

Temporary Repairs:
Temporary fixes should be made to ensure the damage doesn’t spread. These include:

Tarps – Simple, inexpensive and easy, waterproof tarps can do wonders to keep more moisture from getting inside the property. From the interior of the building, since it is unsafe to walk on a wet roof, smooth the tarp out and attach it, ensuring the entire area is covered.

Caulk, Temporary Roof Patch – For small leaks, a little caulk or sealant can block the water from coming in. Even though it may be small, it can easily become a much bigger problem if not addressed immediately. These products can be found at your local home improvement store.

Replace Shingles – Depending on the structure, a roof leak often is a result of missing shingles or ones that are cracked or becoming unattached. Once it safe to go on the roof, it is important to repair or replace shingles to limit the damage. Loose shingles shout be smoothed and shifted back into place before being nailed or stapled. If shingles are missing but there are no replacements available, sheet metal or wood can be used as a temporary fix.

Professional Help
While these fixes are designed to limit the spread of damage, they are not permanent repairs. Regardless of the size of the leak, contacting a professional like SERVPRO of Effingham, Mattoon, Charleston to inspect and repair the roof is vital to maintaining its longevity and protecting what it covers. Our company is a full service contractor so one call to SERVPRO of Effingham, Mattoon, Charleston is all you need to do. We handle all aspects of the restoration and repairs needed to restore your property to its preloss condition. 

A roof leak is a hassle, but it can quickly become much more than that if gone unchecked. Taking immediate action and getting it properly repaired are keys to avoiding damage to the rest of the structure.