What Really Counts As a Roofing Emergency?

Just mentioning the words  ‘roofing emergency’ can make a homeowner sweat. The standard visions instantly come to mind. Buckets were carefully placed to catch water dripping from the ceiling. Tree limbs sliced through the middle of the roof. 

Of course, both of those ‘visions’ are all too real for many homeowners. They are some of the worst examples of roofing emergencies. 

But you may have a roofing ’emergency’ on your hands even without the buckets and broken roofs. There are many things you can look for on your roof that, if they don’t mean you need an emergency roof repair right now, you could be facing roofing emergency soon if you don’t get them fixed sooner than later.

3 Signs of an Impending Roofing Emergency

The following aren’t roofing emergencies. But they count as an emergency roof repair because fixing them helps you avoid suffering a roofing emergency.

1. Missing Shingles

   Are shingles missing from your roof? If so, have a professional roofing company replace them as soon as possible. Any rain or snowmelt can get into your attic where the shingles are missing. If that happens, you’ll probably need to get the buckets out sooner than later.

2. Damaged or Missing Roof Flashing

   Flashing is the metal sheeting that roofers install around roof protuberances like your chimney or skylight. Flashing directs water away from the opening in the roof made for the protuberance. If it doesn’t fit closely to the object it surrounds, or it’s missing, you could have the same problems as if you had missing shingles.

3. Water in Your Attic

   When’s the last time you were in your attic? If you can’t remember, you should make a point to check it regularly. Visible moisture in your attic, including on your attic insulation, could be a sign of a leak in your roof. If a leak has formed, you may already have damage to your home. And the longer you leave a leak without repairing it, the larger it will get. And the worse the consequences will be.

You can learn more about spotting warning signs on your roof in our article “3 Signs You Need A New Roof“.