Portland has all kinds of weather, freezing, raining (lots of that) and sunshine, as well as wind and extreme heat. All these various weather conditions can affect your roof. Here’s a general idea of what is happening on your roof when various types of weather comes to town:
Snow/Freezing Temperatures/Hail: Common issues with cold and freezing weather are cracked or split shingles and granule loss. Additionally, if a shingle has blown off or deteriorated, the paper beneath the shingles can become frozen and crack, causing a leak. This is a good thing to keep an eye out for when the weather is freezing or snowy. It can also cause your roof to be tough to fix as some temperatures are not optimal for putting on a roof.
Heavy Rain: Here in Portland, most roofers will keep in mind that we have heavy rain all year round. However, the persistent wetness can cause things like the granules of your shingles to lose tenacity, thus causing your shingles to deteriorate. Additionally, you roof flashing can begin to rust and allow damp to leak through. Another issue with rain is it causes your roof to become a great place for moss to grow, which – if left unchecked – will eventually eat away at your roof.
Heavy Wind: Wind can be very damaging to most roofs as it can rip of a shingle or roof tile, as well as toss heavy branches onto your roof. This can obviously cause issues. If there’s nothing structurally damaged, most pulled-off shingles can be replaced. But, if there is a structural issue, this can require more heavy-duty roofing work.
Heat: We’ve all heard about how roofs produce radiant heat which can be harmful to the environment – but does the reverse happen? Does heat harm your roof? Heat can actually cause damage to roofing material when the material has been exposed to heat for a prolonged period of time. So, after an indian summer or a summer when the temperatures swoop upwards and stick, it’s good to periodically check your roofing. Additionally, prolonged exposure to heat can cause your roof sealant to fail, so it’s a good idea to keep that up and maintained before wet weather comes again.
Overall, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your roof warranty, take advantage of the free estimates reliable roofers generally give, and keep your roof maintained throughout the years.