Recognize Roof Rot Before Collapse

Are you wondering what’s causing your roof shingles to crumble? What does reparation entail?
This guide covers the ins and outs of roof rot: how it forms, how to recognize it, and how to repair it. Don’t wait! The longer your roof decays, the greater the danger to the residents of your home.

Stop the Spread Early
Roof rot threatens your safety. Mold can cause severe illness. In addition, roof rot compromises your house’s structural integrity. If you don’t stop the rot early, you’ll have to replace your roofing system, and worse, it may collapse. So, a yearly roof inspection is essential!

Additionally, roof rot significantly decreases the curb appeal of your home. The ugly fungi on your roof will turn buyers away if you're trying to sell your house.

Roof Rot Development
Roof rot develops slowly and progressively. It starts with fungi that can only grow in moist, warm environments, like the wet, coated wood on your roof. The most common causes of the spread are improper ventilation, condensation accompanied by heat, and humidity in the attic.

The Warning Signs
Roof decay appears as “dry rot” or “wet rot.” Dry rot looks dryer and crumblier than wet rot. If you suspect deterioration, these are some more signs that it’s there:

• A musty odor
• A caving roof deck
• Interior leaking
• Curling or breaking shingles

Roof Rot Reparation
Roof rot reparation is a complicated process. It’s risky to tackle independently because the damage will continue if you miss any mold. So, if you’re looking for that information, the process goes like this:

1. On a rainy day, look for interior stains. You may have to remove some drywall and insulation to locate the mold on the underside of the roof decking.
2. Inspect the decking after removing the shingles and under-placement. Tap the stained sections with a hammer to test their stability.
3. Pry up the shingles around the damaged section. Then, pull up the felt paper to expose the rotted wood. 
4.  Using a circular saw, cut out the rotten area. Expose at least two trusses. Keep the cut-out in one piece so you can measure it. Then climb the roof to measure the hole.
5. Install the replacement piece with its grain perpendicular to the roof trusses. Secure with nails every 4-6 inches.
6. Seal up the seams with bitumen tape. Then, staple or nail felt paper to the entire roof.
7. Lift the undisturbed shingles and slide the new ones underneath. Finally, nail through the center of the old and new shingles.

These kinds of repairs are not for the novice; they can be dangerous and cause more damage to your home than you intended. You will save a lot more time and money if you contact a roofer like Town Corners Roofing and Exteriors to do a professional roof inspection to diagnose and fix the problem. Piecemealing repairs to a problem like roof rot will not solve the root cause and only make it bigger.

Picture it: a beautiful roof and a safe home. Get rid of that roof rot today!

REQUEST A ROOF INSPECTION