Although many U.S. homeowners don’t really worry about checking their roofs prior to storms, South Carolina residents know that they can’t afford to be so lax. Inclement weather can take a turn for the worse at a moment’s notice, so it’s critical that your building is prepared, and the top of your building deserves the most focus of all. Follow these basic tips to get your Charleston roofing ready for anything from a minor squall to a serious tropical storm.
The first thing you need to do to prepare for any storm is visually inspect your roof. Beginning at the eaves and gable edges, search for off-color spots or warped sections. These irregular patches might be indicative of serious problems lying just beneath your building’s exteriors, and while these issues normally wouldn’t be urgent, they could easily succumb to the stresses associated with severe winds and heavy rains.
One obvious red flag you may notice on your roof is the absence of tiles or shingles, especially if your home is older than most. These building materials are able to take quite a beating, but they eventually degrade and fall from their sloped surfaces. While many asphalt roofs include layers of moisture-repellent felt papers beneath their tiles, such fixtures are only backups; you need to replace missing shingles as soon as possible.
Bare patches in closely laid courses of shingles can actually allow wind to lift up nearby shingles.