Cedar shingles are installed onto underlining in the roof.
Cedar shingles have been around for centuries. Part of the reason for their continued popularity is their durability. Although durable, they do need to be well-maintained through all kinds of weather. If you have cedar shingles on your roof, it might be time to take a look at how well they are holding up as the summer comes to an end.
What Damages Cedar Shingles?
Originally, cedar shingles were placed on top of lathing strips. Times have changed, though, and so has the technology involved in the installation process. Lathing strips fell out of favor, which means that roofers no longer rely on them. Instead, the cedar shingles are installed onto underlining in the roof. There’s one significant problem with this method, though: since the shingles aren’t far enough apart, they tend to retain all the moisture that seeps into them.
Because of this flaw, water damage can ruin these shingles, as can the presence of moss, mildew, and mold. Most cedar roofs can last for decades, but to make sure that they do, you will need to keep them clean and patch up any holes or leaks you find along the way.
The Importance of Roof Repairs
After about ten years or so, you will start to see moss and mold growing on your cedar shingles. Every roof will need to be repaired, no matter what it is made of, but it is even more important for cedar roofs. Any leaks in the wood will start off small but will grow if you don’t address them as soon as you can.
Repairing the leaks in your cedar roof minimizes the effects of water damage. This means that your cedar shingles won’t wear out before they would otherwise. Replacing a roof can be expensive, so as expensive as you might think any roof repairs are, they don’t comparing to replacing the entire roof instead of patching it up piece by piece.
Common Reasons for Roof Repair
Although small holes and leaks are easy enough to do by yourself, there are some situations in which you’re better off calling the experts at Topper Construction for assistance:
- There’s more than one leak in your roof.
- A DIY repair is starting to fail, meaning the leak has reopened.
- The leak is getting bigger, but you don’t know where it’s coming from.
- The leak has started to affect the integrity of the roof itself.
Contact Topper Construction Today!
If you’re interested in having gutters, a roof system, siding, or water drainage system installed in your new home, or would like a free estimate, contact Topper Construction. With Topper Construction, you’ll see the benefit of nearly three decades of experience. Contact Topper Construction at 301-874-0220 or email us at info@topperconstruction.com if you are interested in learning more. We can help you with projects in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Northern Virginia.
