Roof Damage Due to Summer Sun

8/5/2019 (Permalink)

As the summer sun’s intense rays beat down upon you and you long for relief from the heat, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is the damage that the sun is inflicting upon your business’ roof. The sun’s harmful rays can lead to serious damage over time if you, as a business owner, do not monitor the condition of your roof regularly. Understanding which types of damage to look for can help you to avoid serious deterioration of your business’ roof before it is too late to repair.

First, it is important to understand what causes roof damage during the summer season. Long summer days feature an increased number of hours with sunlight compared to the three other seasons, which prolongs the exposure of roofs to the sun’s harmful UV rays. This exposure can deplete the oil out of the wood from which the roof is made. Another cause is a phenomenon known as thermal shock. Since temperatures are high throughout the day and cool at night, the rapid change in temperature causes the materials of the roof to expand and contract. The materials weaken under these conditions, resulting in a damaged roof over time.

There are three types of damage that you should watch for when surveying your business’ roof for heat damage, the first of which being decay. Deformed, rotting, or broken shingles are common signs of decay. However, decay is most common for older roofs, so if your roof is relatively new, it should not be a major concern. The second is warping of the roof’s materials, such as bent or curled shingles. While this damage is not immediately dangerous to your business, it will increase in severity after time. The third and final type of damage to look for is cracked shingles. When shingles curl, tension builds, which can cause shingles to crack. This type of damage requires immediate repair by an expert in order to best protect your business’ roof from sun exposure-related destruction.