Short-Term Consequences of a Neglected Roof

In the short-term, neglecting the roof on your home can have four major adverse effects. Most of these problems intensify over time and can become major problems, whereas they were just minor annoyances in the beginning.

Leaks

The first adverse effect of neglecting your roof is that your roof will most likely begin to leak, and once it starts it only gets worse. Even small blemishes in the roof that are noticed but ignored can lead to a leaking roof.

Once the roof has begun to leak, it will only leak more until repaired. Leaks don’t plug themselves; they actually expand themselves and allow more water through. If you have a multi-layered roof, you may not see that water is entering the building unless you get on the roof and inspect the roofing surface. The lesson learned from leaking roofs? When you notice problems, handle them appropriately immediately. Don’t put leaks or other problems off until it is too late; fix them when you find them!

Increased Energy Bills

Another short-term effect of neglecting your roof is increased energy bills. The same holes that let water leak through also let your cold air out in the summer and hot air out in the winter. By allowing holes to exist in your roof surface without repairing them, you could be paying significantly more on your electric bill every single month.

Don’t waste energy and money pumping excess air into your building with holes in its roof; – stop the leaks and stop wasting energy.

Mold

Clogged gutters, wet insulation, and a wet roof layer can cause mold which can be very dangerous for people living in the house, especially kids. Mold is a problem that is extremely expensive to take care of once it has set in, so don’t let it. Regularly check and clean your gutter systems, regularly check that no insulation is exposed, and regularly check that your roof has no leaks. If you do these three things, you will be in a good position to prevent mold from entering your home.

Animals and Pests

The final of the short-term effects of neglecting your roof is the risk of becoming infested with animals and pests in your roofing system. If the damage to your roofing system is bad enough and the holes are large enough, you could see large insects and rodents entering your house through the roof. Depending on what kind of access they can get, you could very quickly have a whole family of pests living in your roofing system.

Again, don’t let the problem get out of control, and don’t let one problem (a leaky roof) lead to another problem (animal infestation).