One of a roof’s most vile enemies is the hail storm. Hail can range in size from pea sized to the size of golf balls. On rare occasions, hail can be even larger than that. When it is, roofs in Minnesota see quite a bit of damage. That damage can range from the granules being removed from asphalt shingles to actual penetration of the shingles, exposing everything underneath. This can then lead to leaks that cause even more damage to the home.

Hail is certainly a force to be reckoned with and one that costs millions each year to homeowners, vehicle owners, and various other individuals who have different belongings damaged by hail. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about it. If the hail is going to fall, it is going to fall. You can protect your outside belongings if the storm is predicted, but you can’t protect your roof. There is not a garage or barrier that you can put over your roof before a hail storm strikes.

After the hail storm

After a hail storm, a wise thing to do is contact a Minneapolis Hail Damage expert to see if any damage was done. Even if you can’t see damage from the ground, it doesn’t mean that damage has not been done. There are several things that hail can do to your roof that you may not be able to see but an inspector can. Those things include:

• Missing granules, which eliminates some of the protection shingles have and can lead to faster wear and tear. Another hail storm will make this worse and speed up the demise of your roof even faster.
• Cracks in your shingles that can then let water through when it rains. This water will eventually break the barrier that is your underlayment and cause leaks in your roof that you may not find until it is too late.
• Blistering, which is the thinning of areas on your shingles. This thinning can then lead to cracks, holes, and other types of damage that will eventually lead to leaks.
• Penetration, which is very major damage. Penetration is when the hail actually penetrates the shingle. Depending on the size of the hail, penetration can result in holes in your roofing that goes through rather deep. The underlayment can also be damaged, leading to instant leaking that needs to be repaired as soon as possible.

When a roofing inspector sees these types of damage, they will tell you and inform you of what your options are as far as having these issues repaired. If your roof is heavily damaged, the roofer may suggest that the entire roof be replaced. This is usually true when 1 in 5 or even as few as 1 in 10 shingles are damaged.

The Solution – Hire A MN Roofing Contractor

If you find that you are consistently having damage during hail storms or that you have experienced a lot of damage according to your inspection, you may want to consider high impact shingles. These are shingles that can deal with the impact of hail much better than your traditional shingle. These are frequently referred to as “Class 4 shingles.” You will want to talk to your Minnesota roofing contractor about these shingles so that you can give hail a run for its money. Class 4 shingles aren’t immune to the largest types of hail, but they offer much more protection and can save you a lot more money in the long run.

One of the most important parts of your roofing system is your ventilation system. Your ventilation system ensures that hot air is not trapped in your attic. When the sun shines down upon your roof, your roof absorbs the heat that is generated from the UV rays. This is unless you have a “cool roof” that is light colored and reflects the sunlight so that head does not become trapped to the extent that dark roofs do.

Proper ventilation adds to the durability of a roof. Without ventilation, you not only have heat build up, but you also have moisture build up in the attic. When the heat and the moisture combine, the condensation that is produced can cause the sheathing and the rafters to rot. The shingles can also buckle and your insulation will become ineffective. So you need to make sure that your ventilation is not blocked off in any way. This means ridge vents, louvers, or soffit vents are to not be blocked in any way, even in the winter.

Proper attic ventilation protects against structural damage. The life of the material is increased, energy consumption is reduced, and the rooms below the attic are much more comfortable.

Insulation and Ventilation

If you are concerned about your ventilation and even the insulation in your home, a Minnesota roofer can help you address the problems. First of all, a Minnesota roofing contractor can take a look to make sure you have proper insulation in your attic. You should have a clear ventilation system, as well as a layer of insulation on the attic floor to keep the rooms below cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Another thing that you will need in your home if you don’t have it is a vapor retarder. This keeps any moisture inside the house from rising into the attic. Basically, you need enough vented spaces so that air will pass in and out easily. A Minnesota roofing professional will also make sure you have about one inch of space between your roof sheathing and your insulation. They are able to check everything and ensure proper measurements based on the length and the width of your attic. It is recommended that you have at least one square foot of vent area for every 300 square feet of attic floor. The vents should be placed near the ridge or at the eaves.

Energy Saving

When you have your roof inspected by a Minneapolis roofer, you do need to have them tell you whether or not you have proper ventilation. If you don’t, then you want to find out what needs to be done to make sure you do. If you do not have proper ventilation, then you are running the risk of your roof meeting its demise before its time.

Furthermore, the ventilation and insulation combination keeps the air in the living quarters of your home like it is supposed to. You do not want too much heat coming down from the attic during the summer and your cooling costs literally go through the roof. By keeping your air where it belongs, you are cutting down the amount of energy you are using in your home. Not only does this save you money, but you are also doing a favor for the environment.

Roofing maintenance is very important so that you can make sure your roof lasts as long as possible. In order to properly maintain your roof, you do need to know your roofing enemies. And believe it or not, your roof has many enemies that can compromise its performance. However, regular inspections and maintenance can combat these enemies so that your roof lasts as long as possible.

Here are some of the Minnesota roofing enemies that you may have to contend with on a regular basis:

• Sun roof damage – Over time, the heat and UV rays from the sun can lead to deterioration of your roof. This can occur faster on the sides of the roof that are facing the South or the West.

• Wind roof damage – High winds can lift the edges of the shingles or other roofing material and cause water and debris to be pushed below them. Extremely high winds can cause the shingles to blow completely off and even break.

• Rain roof damage – When water gets under your roofing material, it can make its way to the roof deck and cause the deck to rot. This can lead to extensive leaking and even more damage to your home.

• Snow and ice roof damage – Ice dams occur when melting snow refreezes at the roof’s overhang. This keeps the roof from draining properly into the gutter. Water can then back up under the shingles and this can cause damage to the roof deck.

• Moss and algae roof damage – When wood shingles and shakes stay moist, moss can grow. Once it grows, even more moisture is held on the roof, which can cause rotting. Algae may also grow in these shaded areas of wood shingles, but can also grow on asphalt shingles. Algae creates a black-green stain and can then lead to rot. It is ideal to trim back trees and any other vegetation that may be close to your roof to reduce this.

• Condensation roof damage – when the air is warm and full of moisture, condensation can build up. The way to prevent condensation from ruining your roof is to have a properly ventilated attic to blow out the hot air that can lead to condensation.

• Trees and leaves roof damage – When you have trees near your roof, debris from the trees can fall onto your roof and cause damage. Leaves can also fall into your gutters and clog them, causing water to backup.

• Shingle deterioration roof damage – The natural wear and tear of shingles is also an enemy. However, there is nothing that can be done about this since shingles do have a lifespan.

Knowing the facts about your roofing enemies will also help you to make responsible roof buying decisions. Knowing the enemies will also help you determine when you need to call a Minnesota roof inspector to inspect your roof. This should be done in the spring and fall anyway because you are preparing for the winter and summer and also taking care of damage that these two seasons inflicted upon your roof.

Wind is one of the worst enemies a roof can have. This goes along with hail damage and the weather changes that occur over time. However, wind, along with hail, can take your roof in a heartbeat. You can have a perfectly find roof one minute and experience significant damage the next.

There are several reasons why wind wreaks havoc on MN roofing. Those reasons are:

• The strong winds can blow the rain in the opposite direction of the natural water flow of your roof.
• Debris from trees or other objects can be blown onto your roof and damage be done. Once damage occurs to shingles and water is blown into those damaged areas, the water can cause even more damage to the roof by reaching the unprotected inner roof.
• Strong winds can also blow off shingles if the wind is blowing just the right way during the storm. This exposes the inner roof and can lead to further damage

If there were any cracks or holes already in your roof, further damage such as the above can turn those small pieces of damage into significant damage. A small leak could literally turn into a waterfall.

If you find that both wind and hail damage are wreaking havoc on your MN roof, then there is something you can do when looking at roof replacement and that is to talk to your MN roofing company about a Class 4 roof. This is the best that you can buy because the shingles are high impact shingles. They are designed to stand up to the elements much better than Classes 1, 2, and 3 roofing. However, be prepared to pay a price. Better roofing is going to cost more money, so you can expect to pay approximately 50% more on Class 4 roofing than traditional roofing.

Here is an example as to why Class 4 roofing is better: Your traditional shingles have a 3-nail pattern. Class 4 requires a 6 nail pattern. Because more nail driving is involved, you can expect to pay more for labor, but you can take into consideration that you’ll have a much better warranty that could last up to 10 years. Plus, the expected lifespan is 30 to 50 years. There are quite a few benefits. When you take into account that you could possibly have to replace traditional roofing multiple times within the lifespan of Class 4 roofing, the truth is that you will be saving money over time. You will also be saving yourself money on the other damage that can occur to your home due to faulty roofing.

So when it comes to wind damage or any other kind of damage that may occur to your roof, look at the facts and make a responsible decision regarding your roofing. You would be amazed at the thousands of dollars that you can save by making sure you have the best roofing in MN to begin with.

Are you experiencing leaking from your roof? Are you wondering why it is leaking? Or maybe you are not having leaking issues now, but you will in the future because your roof has damage that will get progressively worse over time and cause a leak. No matter what, it is good to know the reasons why roofs leak. Minnesota roofing contractors can definitely tell you the reasons because they are used to fixing leaks with a number of different causes.

But know that there are some things that you can look out for that tell you whether or not your roof is leaking or is about to leak. Those things include:

• Brown patches on the dry walls of the ceiling
• Rotting of the framing system, which is indicative of an already existing leak
• A dampness in the attic that should not be there
• Signs of water damage in the attic or you begin to see brown patches or wet spots in your ceiling

What you need to do is have an annual or biannual inspection by a Minnesota roof inspector. Many roofing companies in Minnesota provide such a service so that you can take care of any problems with your roof before any major damage occurs. The best time for you to have an inspection is during the late spring and the fall.

As for why roofs leak, here are some of the causes:

Some blame their asphalt shingles for the leaks on their roofs, but it is not always the shingles. Sometimes there are faults in the flashing that surrounds fans, vents, chimneys, and skylights. If the season is particularly rainy or windy, this can cause the caulking in the flashing to become dry. Throw the sun into the equation and you have caulking that starts to crack, leading to a seal that loosens up and allows water to come in.

Old age is another reason behind a leaky roof. When a roof has reached the end of its life, it will weaken. Shingles will crack and curl and this can cause tears. The mineral granules are disappearing. Many do over time, but they will start to fall away even faster. Depending on an individual’s budget, a complete roof replacement may be in order. However, unless there is more than one out of every 5 shingles damaged, a simple repair may suffice for a while.

If you have experienced bad storms in your area where the wind has whipped around quite a bit of debris, you may find that flying tree branches and other airborne items have hit your roof and caused damage. The roofing can become cracked, which will ultimately lead to a leak.

And, of course, there is ice that gathers on the eaves and creates an ice dam. Ice dams can bend the entire framing system and Minnesota ice dams are certainly no mystery to roofing contractors. This is why they have measures that they use to prevent ice dams and save you a lot of money in the future.