We’ve all been there: A random drip from the bathroom ceiling feels like something we can ignore until we absolutely can’t. While it might feel easy to not deal with a leaking roof until the time comes to get out the bucket to catch all those drips, letting your roof get that bad just isn’t advisable for a whole host of reasons. Your home roof is meant to last decades, and possibly even longer if it’s made of strong stuff. The minute it springs a leak or starts to drip, you’re not just looking at a single drip. You’re probably dealing with months of decay and damage to your roof. That means that if you wait too long to fix your roof, you could end up having to serious damage control or worse. If you don’t want to end up calling BNW Roofers to do an emergency replacement of your home roof, you’ll have to deal with the situation the minute it crops up. Don’t be tempted to delay, or you could be out a lot of money and potentially an entire home. Here are just a few things you could risk if you don’t act right away.
Sunken Costs
When you first notice a leak in your home, you might mistake it for something else. However, soon enough it will become hard to pass off that insistent dripping as something benign, no matter how hard you try. While in some cases a leaky ceiling is the result of something small, like a nail that’s been frozen and has now begun to thaw, creating a slow dripping, in most other cases, a drip isn’t just the result of a recently-sprung leak or something as harmless as a frosty nail. Usually, a leak indicates a severe issue with your roof. Think about it: Your roof is covered in several layers of protective elements. There are shingles with wood or metal flashing beneath and insulation for even more protection. This creates a huge barrier to any moisture or dirt that wants to find its way in. So when a leak springs, the damage is already done. Not acting fast enough or only spending a small amount of money on a Band-Aid sized repair could amount to sunken costs and a failing roof in no time.
Risk of Mold Growth
With water and trapped moisture comes the risk of mold, a home’s greatest enemy. Mold doesn’t just pose a problem to your roof and home structure. While it does tend to increase the possibility of rot and other degenerative effects, the biggest problem with mold is the threat it poses to the health of yourself and your family. Even if you’re not dealing with the more serious versions of mold growth, you don’t want to be living in an atmosphere where you’re being forced to breathe in mold and contaminated air. It’s simply not a smart move, and you never want to expose your home or your family to too much moisture and bacteria in the air.
Risk of Permanent Roof Damage
Once your roof springs a leak, it’s a sign that the structure is compromised. While it might not end up being a huge deal, especially if you catch it early and act immediately, it could still end up being a pretty serious issue. If left too long, a simple leak could result in the need for a new roof, which no one wants to have to pay for in an emergency situation. Ignoring a leak could mean ignoring the very small window of time in which you could have gotten away with doing minimal roof repairs rather than having to dismantle and air-lift the whole thing out. The old adage of “save now, pay later” is especially relevant here.
Risk of Danger to Inhabitants
In addition to risking exposing yourself and your family to mold, leaving your roof unattended means creating an essentially unsafe living environment for your household. It might not seem like one tiny drip is going to bring the house down, but don’t make the fatal mistake of underestimating the power of trapped moisture and wood rot. Your home may be made of sturdy stuff, but water damage has a way of sneakily and silently eating through your home’s foundation, weakening it to the point of danger. You never want to be in a situation where your entire house becomes unsafe to live in. That’s why when it comes to roof leaks, you need to act as soon as humanly possible.
