As anyone who’s inhabited a secretive jungle society and stayed in houses with thatched roofs and rugged beams could tell you, modern roofing with all its glorious protective arrangements is a massive improvement over the old deal.
Elaborate tiles with clever moisture-deterring patterns, gutters that do shine all bright and gather water and at times rogue shuttlecocks, and plumbing vents which keep your attic breathable and thus inhabitable are all niceties that us, humans, have managed to devise over the years!
Quite impressive, indeed, but even the most durable, high-quality rood isn’t impervious to some destruction. It can come in two main ways:
- A surprise bombing raid, and
- Botched patchwork.
In this article, we’ll talk about issue number two and how it can destroy your prospects of having a living room without a massive puddle forming on the floor every time it rains. Well, we’re here to dissuade an effort on your part to fix your roof yourself as this may be a quite a bad bad idea.
Here’s why!
The Perils of a Neglected or Improperly Fixed Roof
1) Leaks and Dripping
As we already know, a chink in the armor has been the undoing of many a knight in history. So, the same thing is true for roofs, let’s say. If there’s a small crack in the roof’s structure or one of its tiles, there’ll be enough room for water to come through.
Of course, a small crack doesn’t mean you will get flooded next time it rains, but it still will surely humidify your room, possibly create a puddle, and make a big damp mark on the ceiling.
The problem is, small cracks and leaks have the extraordinary ability to snowball into larger formations rather quickly, so addressing any underlying issues such as broken tiles or other imperfections before they get out of hand is an absolute must.
Now, unless you have the necessary know-how and the experience in the field of roofing, we’d advise you to steer clear from fixing the thing yourself as you may easily make the thing much worse.
2) Mould
Any place that should be dry but isn’t, and is exposed to water and humidity often will probably eventually start ‘producing’ mould.
This type of fungus can be a proper pain in the neck to get rid of, as it will always stubbornly grow back no matter how many times you remove it. The trouble is, of course, that if you do not remove the underlying cause that creates it in the first place, removing the mould itself will make it disappear only for the time being.
A particularly nasty mould-infested patch can present a health hazard for humans and animals alike. Although this mostly amounts to allergic reactions and certain respiratory problems, living in a mouldy environment is something that’s surely not acceptable.
3) Animal Habitations
Leave your attic unattended for a couple of months, fail to repair some faulty wooden beams, et voila! – you might as well stick a big ‘ZOO’ sign on your front gate!
When wood is in question, in particular, pests such as mice, rats, woodlice, and termites can erode the supporting structures in your attic thus making the whole thing a potential death trap.
One of the steps that should definitely be undertaken in such a scenario would be to make good use of some pesticides and maybe some rodent poison here and there. Mind you, handing these chemicals is a task that’s better left to the professionals, as not all of these deterrents and poisons are entirely safe to humans, either.
4) A Clogged Plumbing Vent
Even though the plumbing vents represent quite a low-to-no maintenance part of your roof, even these can sometimes fall victim to an of course tennis ball or something.
As you probably already know, about the only way a plumbing vent can ever represent a problem is if it gets clogged. This can happen in a wide variety of ways, really. Maybe a curious bird fell down the pipe and died there, or maybe something less sinister such as a copious amount of leaves all rotten together in the pipe and blocking the air flow with their weight.
No matter the cause, the result is pretty much the same – poor airflow which means little to no ventilation.
If you suspect something got stuck and possibly also died in there, calling in the professional to handle it for you might be the best course of action. Flash Roof Plumbing, for example, is a company that specializes in roofing ventures, so if you have a problem with your vents or anything else regarding your roof, you can contact these folks for further instructions.
All things considered, your roof is a particularly delicate part of your house that shouldn’t be messed about with. If you suspect you have a problem with it, getting a professional onboard surely beats tempering with the problem yourself, as there’s a chance you can make it much worse. Hope you found this article helpful and cheers!
Author-Bio:
Audrey Taylor was born in San Francisco and moved to Adelaide at the age of five. Marketer researcher and social media manager on hold, full – time mommy of a cheerful two-year-old. Graduated from Queensford college, worked in a couple of marketing agencies across Australia, eager to learn more about business and share her experiences. Traveled across Europe. Her hobbies include home decor, fashion, travel, music, old movies.
