Your shingle roof is supposed to help protect your Des Moines area home from the rain (along with other potentially damaging elements, of course); however, leaks can happen for any number of reasons.

It’s why you should be on the lookout for any signs of leaks on a regular basis, especially following particularly heavy storms.

Signs You May Have Roof Leaks

The following are a few signs that you have a leaky roof. You can look for these signs outside by simply walking around the exterior of your property. Never go up on the roof in search of potential leaks. Not only is doing so a huge safety risk, but you could end up causing damage to your shingles, which could result in new leaks that you wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Missing shingles – If you see areas on your roof where shingles are missing, it means that space is much more vulnerable to potential leaks if a leak hasn’t developed there yet.

Curling or buckling shingles – Shingles that are curling or buckling may be doing so because of water absorption. Not only could there be a leak there, but that area of the roof will be more prone to larger leaks as well.

Overflowing gutters – If you notice water building up in your gutters and flowing over sides during or after a rainfall, it means that something is clogging your gutter system. It also means that there’s a chance that the water that’s building up in your gutters is leaking in through your roof.

Loose granules – If you find loose granules on the ground around your home or you have your gutters cleaned and the person cleaning them finds granules in the gutters, it means that your shingles are reaching the end of their life and are likely to be more prone to potential leaks.

Dark spots on the roof – Dark spots on the roof indicate that moisture has soaked through and is likely leaking into the underlayment and potentially into your home. Those dark spots could also potentially be a sign of rot caused by overexposure to moisture.

If you notice any of these signs, you’ll want to have your roof inspected by a professional roofer in Des Moines right away. Here at Vanweelden, we offer free roof inspections and will identify if there are any leaks. Contact us at VanWeelden in Des Moines to schedule an appointment today.

Is My Shingle Roof Leaking? Signs Inside Your Home

A high-quality shingle roof, that’s properly installed, should help protect your home against the elements. Unfortunately, leaks can still develop on occasion. If you notice any signs of roof leaks, you should have them addressed as soon as possible.

The longer you ignore them, the more likely they are to grow worse, causing potentially serious water damage to your roof and other parts of your home. Checking for leaks isn’t too difficult. In fact, many signs of leaks can be discovered within your house.

Common Indoor Signs of Shingle Roof Leaks

The following are just a few of the signs of roof leaks that you can look for inside of your house:

Water stains in the ceiling – If you spot water stains developing in your ceiling, it could be due to a roof leak, especially if the stain is nowhere near any of your plumbing.

Wet insulation in the attic – Check the insulation in your attic. If it’s wet, it means that there’s a leak nearby.

Mold growth in the attic – Mold only grows in humid conditions. If your attic is too humid, mold will begin to grow. This kind of environment is only possible if there are roof leaks that are allowing heat and moisture through to the attic. Mold can often be visually spotted; however, sometimes it will grow in hard to find places. In this case, you might be able to smell it by its musty odor.

Water leaks in the attic – If it’s raining particularly hard, take the time to go up to your attic. You should be able to identify any major leaks if water is leaking through the roof into your attic space.

Light leaks in the attic – Go up to your attic during the middle of the day when it’s particularly sunny out. If you see sunlight coming in through the roof, it means that there’s a leak.

Higher-than-normal energy costs – If your heating or cooling bills are unusually high, it may mean that energy is being lost through leaks in your roof.

Even if you don’t think that your roof is leaking or that there are any issues with it at all, you should still schedule an annual roof inspection to make sure. We offer free roof inspections that can reveal issues that you may not have known about. To schedule a roof inspection in Des Moines, contact us at VanWeelden today.