Roof Damage Due to Summer Sun

8/5/2019 (Permalink)

Spending our days under the sweltering summer sun, we’re all too familiar with the intensity of the sun’s rays and the red sunburn that can damage our skin when we forget to wear sunscreen. Sunburn can result in long-term skin damage, and much like causing sunburn, sun exposure can inflict damage upon roofs of businesses, as they are exposed to the sun’s rays throughout the summer. As time goes by, the severity of this type of damage can worsen, deteriorating the condition of the roof’s materials and structure, just as our sunburn can lead to skin issues later in life. In order to protect your business’ roof from irreparable damage, it is important to understand how the sun specifically causes damage to your roof.

Compared to those of the other three seasons, summer days are considerably longer with more hours of intense sunlight and therefore, increased exposure of roofs to detrimental UV rays. Depriving the roof’s wooden materials from oil by drying it out, serious architectural harm can be inflicted upon the roof. Thermal shock, a phenomenon caused by the significant temperature change from warmer temperatures during the day to colder temperatures during the night that is common during the summer, is another cause of roof damage. The roof’s materials expand and contract under these circumstances, causing their condition to decline over time and eventually damage the roof’s structure.

Once you understand the causes, learning what to look for when checking your roof for damage will further protect it. Decay, evident in the rotting, breaking, or deformation of shingles, is one indicator typically found in older roofs. If your roof is relatively new, warped shingles are far more common and you should be on the lookout for bent or curled shingles instead. Be aware that warped shingles are a sign that damage has been inflicted and will worsen over time, so once you have observed it, remember to check your roof’s condition regularly. When shingles appear to be cracked, it is an indicator that tension overpowered the shingles as they curled, permanently damaging them. Calling an expert once you’ve observed cracked shingles is recommended, as leaving them broken can lead to permanent structural damage if not dealt with quickly.

With an understanding of what causes roof damage due to sun exposure and the types of damage to expect, you will be able to keep your business’ roof safe during the summer.