ROOF REPAIR

Homeowners in Texas know that protecting their roof is more than just a home improvement task—it’s a critical task to protect our homes from our notoriously harsh and unpredictable weather. We understand the unique challenges that the Texas climate poses to residential roofing systems. From scorching summer heat to winter ice and snow, to common severe thunderstorms and occasional hail, your home’s roof takes a beating like few other regions in the United States.

What Causes Home Roof Damage in Texas?

The intense sun in Texas can damah=ge and degrade roofing materials very quickly

Intense Heat and UV Rays

Texas summers are legendary for the intense heat, with temperatures frequently soaring above 100 degrees. Also, relentless sun exposure causes significant damage to your home’s roofing materials over time. The extreme heat and UV rays can cause significant issues:

They can cause asphalt shingles to warp, crack or curl.
They degrade roofing materials quickly, making them brittle over time.
They accelerate the breakdown of underlayment and flashing.

Regular inspections and repair of any damage can mitigate heat damage and slow the wear and tear of UV rays before they compromise your home’s protection.

Ice storms and repeated freezing and thawing causes damage to a home in Central Texas

Cold Temperatures and Ice and Snow Storms

Yes, we get ice and snow in Texas! Ice and snow can damage roofs primarily through the formation of “ice dams,” which build up when melting snow refreezes at the roof’s edge, creating a buildup of ice which can cause many issues including:

Lifted shingles
Damage to gutters
Leaks at flashing and roof joints

These types of issues can cause water to back up under the roof, leading to roof leaks, potential structural damage, and resulting water penetration into your home. Especially if the ice accumulation is heavy or occurs repeatedly; this is particularly concerning in areas of Texas that experience occasional freezing temperatures.

Hailstorms, extreme thunderstorms, and high winds are common in the Austin and Central Texas areas

Thunderstorms, Hailstorms, and Extreme Winds

The Central Texas, Texas Hill Country and Highland Lakes areas are notorious for severe thunderstorms and wind and hail events. We commonly experience multiple hailstorms each year, and they can cause devastating damage to residential roofs. Hailstones and extreme winds can:

Crack or puncture shingles
Dislodge shingle granules that protect roofing materials
Create weak spots that lead to future leaks
Compromise the structural integrity of your roof
Lift and tear off shingles
Cause gaps that allow water intrusion into the home
Cause debris to impact your roof and damage the roofing materials
Weaken the overall roofing structure

Although some storm damage to a roof is easily spotted, a professional roofing contractor can assess storm damage completely and recommend the necessary repairs to restore your roof’s integrity.

Degraded roofing shingles from normal wear and tear and aging can lead to extreme and costly damage to your home

Roofing Material Wear and Tear and Aging

Aside from storm damage, plain old wear and tear take their toll on your home’s roof as well. Even the best quality shingles begin to degrade and lose their protective qualities after about ten years in our Texas climate.

Older roofing systems, if left unmaintained or neglected, can cause major issues inside your home as well as unexpected costs and headaches.

Ice storms due occur in Central Texas and can really damage home roofing systems like this one

Tree Damage

Damage be done to your home’s roof from trees, even in the absence of severe storms. No matter if a tree dies a natural death and falls on your roof, or is knocked down by a strong wind, it still does the same damage! Also, overgrown tree branches left untrimmed and scraping the roofing surface material will degrade shingles causing leaks and more damage.

Leaks around pipes, vents or chimneys in your roof can cause a lot of damage

Leaky Accessories

We all know there are a large number of new homes built in Texas every year. Unfortunately, not all of the contractors installing roofs on those homes are the best roofing experts. We often see poor flashing and sealing practices on roofs, where the roof vents, pipes, and chimneys exit above the roofing surface. These can cause leaks that left unchecked can cause considerable damage to roofing decks and attic spaces, resulting in costly repairs. If you have any water getting under your roofing materials you want roof leak repairs immediately!

Flashing damage on a home roof can lead to expensive roof maintenance and roof repairs later

Inadequate or Damaged Flashing

Roof flashing is thin metal or rubber material installed at roof joints and around elements that protrude through the roofing surface like vents, chimneys or skylights. The purpose of flashing is to seal the joints between those elements and the roofing material, to keep water or debris from getting under the roof surface. Inadequate flashing can cause huge and expensive problems on your home’s roof.

Signs Your Home Needs Roof Repairs

A sure sign that your roof needs repairs is if you can see obvious damage to the roofing system with a quick visual inspection.
Some telltale signs are:

A roof missing shingles is a sure sign of impending and expensive water damage

Visible Damage Like Missing, Damaged, or Cracked Shingles

If there is obvious damage that is easily visible from the ground, then it’s a sure sign that it’s time for some roof repairs! An area of missing shingles is pretty easy to spot, but looking closer for cracks in shingles, pockmarks in shingles or metal roof panels (indicating hail damage), broken shingles, or asphalt shingles with most of the granules missing are all signs of trouble ahead and need attention very soon.

Extreme damage to a residential roof from a large hailstorm puncture on a home in Austin Texas

Holes or Punctures in Roofing Material

Actual holes or punctures through the roofing surface are serious issues and should be fixed immediately. If left for long they will cause all sorts of expensive and troubling damage.

A water stained ceiling from a water penetration in a home because of a leaky roof

Water Stains or Leaks Inside Your Home

If you can see water stains anywhere inside your home, like in room ceilings or down walls, you may already have a serious leaky roof! Left unchecked, this can lead to serious damage to your home’s structure as well as mold growth, which is very troublesome and costly to repair. If you see signs of water stains anywhere in your home, we highly recommend that you get a professional inspection immediately, discover the source of the water leak, and fix it as soon as possible!

Mold forming on an asphalt shingle roof causing roof damage

Mold or Mildew Growth

Mold or mildew growing inside your home or on the roofing surface is a sign of water retention due to a faulty or damaged roofing system. If mold is allowed to grow on the roofing surface, it will quickly cause the roofing material to lose its protective properties and allow water penetration and damage to the roof deck.

Light leaking through a roof into the attic area

Light Coming Through The Roof Decking

During daylight hours, if you can see light rays coming through your home’s roof from inside your attic, you have a serious roof leak! If light can leak through than water certainly can, and water coming into the attic will lead to major water damage very quickly. If you see light rays in your attic, get a roof inspection immediately.

A sagging and moldy roof in very bad shape

Sagging Roofline

A sagging roofline is a serious structural problem in the roof of your home. If you can see visible sagging in areas of the roof, significant damage has already been done by either falling debris or water intrusion leading to rotting framework and roof deking. If you see sag anywhere in your roof, we recommend you calling a professional roofing contractor immediately before catastrophic damage occurs.

Degraded asphalt shingles missing large amounts of granules

Asphalt Shingle Granule Loss

Asphalt shingles are made of a base material, coated with asphalt, topped with mineral granules. If the shingles are visibly missing a large amount of the granular surface material, or you can see a large number of those mineral granules in your gutters or around the base of your home, it means that the shingles have degraded, shedding those granules, and greatly reducing the protective properties of the shingles.

Unseen Damage

In the early stages of damage, a roof can look perfectly fine from ground level. However, damaged flashing, leaks, water damage, or compromised roofing materials can be hidden until they cause further damage. A roofing professional can perform an inspection and find these issues before they progress to cause more serious damage.

What To Do If You Suspect Roof Damage

Call Your Insurance Company

If you see any of these mentioned signs of roof damage, have had recent severe storms in your area, or even if you just suspect you may have roof damage, call your home insurance company first. They can send their own inspector or adjustor out to take a look for you.

Call a Reputable and Experienced Home Roofing Company

A roofing contractor can perform their own inspection, at no cost or obligation to you, and give you their own report about the condition of your home’s roof. We recommend a roofer that services your area regularly, is reputable either by reputation and customer reviews or by a personal referral from a friend, and is professional, licensed, and insured. Depending on the level of damage, your roof may only need some repairs, or it may be time to consider a full roofing replacement. Having a trusted roofer to give you honest advice is key to making that decision.

Get Inspections from Both

The ideal situation for you is if you can find a roofer contractor that will coordinate and work directly with your insurance adjuster to cover all the details and ensure that your home’s roof is repaired properly and quickly.

What To Do If Roof Damage Is Found

Pick a Roofing Repair Company

When choosing any contractor to work on your home, and especially the roof, we recommend you consider these things:

Go local! If you don’t have any direct recommendations from friends or family, search the internet for “roofing company near me” or “roofer near me” or “roofing contractor near me.” You can learn a lot from their reviews on their Google Business Profile.
Look for a roof company that works in your area primarily. Many roofers move around chasing storm damage and if you ever need them again for fixes or warranty they are nowhere to be found. A roofing contractor with a solid reputation is your best bet. You don’t want nomad “roof fixers” who can’t be found if you have issues with their work!
A good referral would be if you have a personal recommendation from a friend or family member who has used a certain roofing contractor and been satisfied.
Make sure the company is licensed and insured
Get 2 or 3 quotes from different roofing companies if you feel you need to. They should all be consistent in their roof evaluation and the cost to repair it. Any that are far off in those areas (high or low) you should avoid.
Get a feel for the company by the representative then send to do your inspection. Are they professional? How long have they worked for the company? Are they the actual owner of the roof company? Your “gut” is usually a good guide for who you want protecting your home.

Have Your Contractor Work with Your Insurer

Once you’ve picked a roofing contractor, have them work directly with your insurance adjuster to coordinate all the needed repairs and costs.

Determine the Details of the Repairs and Costs

Get a contractual estimate in writing that your insurance adjuster agrees with before entering into the repair contract with the roofing company.
Determine how much you will have to pay from your policy deductible or for any repairs or upgrades not covered.
Ask any and all questions you may have, and be confident in the deal you are entering into before signing the repair contract.
The cost for roof replacement is dependent on the amount of damage and what your insurance company will cover, so be sure to get all the details.

Hire the Roofing Contractor

Once you are confident in the roofing contractor and the details of the work, sign the contract and get your roof repairs done as soon as possible to avoid any further damage!