Roof Leaks Can Create Major Interior Water Damage Nightmares

The roof  is a wonderful thing. It's what keeps all that water up there from raining down on your head and doing damage to your property. Although roofs are designed to last for decades, they may get damaged by debris or simply age. And, of course, roofing materials can be made cheaply and roof repairs often get put off until it's too late.

If you experience roof leaks, you might not know how bad the water damage to drywall, carpet insulation, and more is yet -- and whether the roof repair costs will be worth it in the end. If you find yourself reading this article because you've just noticed roof leaks in winter weather -- well... we hope the roof repair costs will be worth it! Any time there's roof leakage during cold weather months (November thru February), you could be in for some expensive roof repairs.

Roof Leaks Cause Major Interior Water Damage

Water damage is not always visible to the naked eye, especially when it's caused by roof leaks. Roofing materials are designed to last a long time, but they can deteriorate gradually over time due to UV rays from the sun, harsh weather conditions, and other factors that contribute to roof deterioration. If your roof is leaking, chances are you have roof degradation or other roof damages that will need roof repair right away. You might also have interior water damage too -- which will require professional property restoration. And the longer roof leaks go on undetected, the greater chance there is of severe interior water damage happening while the roof continues to leak.

In most roof leaks cases, roof repair costs depend on how extensive the roof damage is and what type of roofing materials your roof is made out of. Some types of roofing material are more expensive to replace than others. Your roofer will need to determine these things before giving you a roof repair quote.

Who Pays For Interior Water Damage?

It's usually the home owner's responsibility if roof leaks cause any major interior water damage -- including mold growth. But there are times when insurance companies will pay for property disasters caused by roof leaks (for example, if the home was not adequately insured or didn't have sufficient coverage for roof repairs). If you call your insurance company about getting some help with paying the property restoration bill due to roof leaks, they'll probably send out an inspector to investigate the roof damage and interior water damage.

How To Prevent Roof Leaks From Causing Interior Water Damage

The best way to prevent roof leaks from causing serious property disasters (like roof repair costs that are too high to justify roof repair) is by having a roof inspection done at least once a year. If you see any roofing problems during your roof inspection, schedule roof repairs immediately. A small roof leak that goes ignored for weeks or months can result in extensive property damage if it rains a great deal -- so don't procrastinate! The sooner you get those roof leaks repaired, the better chance you have of preventing water from leaking inside your home where it does major property damage.