4 Dangers of a Leaky Roof

4 Dangers of a Leaky Roof

Some house problems happen all at once: your power goes out, or the drapes catch fire, or the leg of a bar stool snaps off. You can’t help but notice these kinds of problems.

But there’s another category of house problems that often gets put on the back burner. These are the gradual, subtle, less noticeable kind. A leaky roof is the best example of a problem that you may have in your own home without knowing. Leaky roofs can and will lead to the following dangers:

1. Mold

There’s nothing mold loves more than a damp, warm environment to live in. Mold grows on damp rafters and insulation, then its spores are spread throughout your home’s HVAC system straight into your lungs.

Breathing in mold spores could give you allergy symptoms like coughing and congestions, or more seriously, cause upper respiratory infections and lead your children to develop asthma.

2. Structural dangers

Wet wood is weak wood. And that wetness can spread to almost all the wood in your home, including the foundation.

If you’re living in a home whose sturdiness has been compromised, you are at greater risk for problems during wind storms, floods and snowstorms. A heavy load of snow on top of your roof might not be supported by your rafters if they’ve been weakened by leaking over the years.

3. Puddles

This won’t be a problem if the water stays in your attic or within the ceilings and walls, but occasionally a leak will cause a puddle in a high traffic area of your home.

If your roof is leaking and you don’t know about it, someone in your home could be seriously injured by slipping on a puddle.

4. Fire hazards

I know what you’re thinking: how could dripping water be a fire hazard? The answer is simple: electricity. Exposed or faulty wiring can short out when it comes into contact with water, sending electricity through the insulation in your attic and walls.

That electricity causes fires. All because of a little drip from the ceiling. That’s why it’s so important to know whether your roof has a leak.

Call Mike at 417-869-0444 now. He and his guys will help find out for you if your roof is in good shape, and fix it if it needs fixing.