Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher
Spring storm season is here—is your roof ready? Here are 4 things to look out for
Reading time: 4 minutes
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Spring in the south means blooming flowers, lush green grass, warm sunshine and… the occasional tornado.
With peak storm season underway, now’s the time to make sure your roof is ready to handle whatever Mother Nature throws its way.
We spoke with the experts at Apex Roofing & Restoration to get their best advice on how to protect your roof and avoid costly damage this season.
Don’t panic—prepare!
If the recent tornadoes had you freaking out just a little bit, you’re not alone. To learn more about spring storm preparedness, we sat down with Beau, a roofer with over a decade of experience.
According to Beau, major tornadoes aren’t always the biggest threat. Although they’re not uncommon during the spring months, there are a number of other things that can cause significant damage.
“You don’t necessarily have to have a major category five hurricane or F4 tornado to cause problems at your house. Especially during the spring months, just a regular old thunderstorm—strong winds, hail events and rain—could all do significant damage and compromise the roofing system.”
Beau, Roofing Expert, Apex Roofing & Restoration
The good news? There are a few key things you can do to ensure your roof is ready to withstand another Alabama spring.
When was your last roof inspection?
First things first, there’s not much you can do to protect your roof if you don’t know its current condition.
With a quick inspection, an expert can assess your roof for any storm damage or issues that need extra attention. In fact, Apex Roofing even uses a drone with artificial intelligence to scan the roof for any abnormalities that might be overlooked in the inspection.
(P.S. Time for a roof check-up? Schedule a free inspection.)
What to look out for on your roof
How old is your roof? (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
Roofs are like anything in your home—if you maintain it well, it’ll last you longer and save you money in the long run.
With that in mind, here are a few specific parts of your roof to keep an eye on.
- Pipe boots— or roof boots, wrap around the base of the pipes coming out of your roof. Often made of rubber or neoprene, the main job of a roof boot is to keep water from leaking into your home.
- Nail pops— Let’s say you’ve had an inspection and you have no storm damage. You might still have nail pops, which occur when the nails used to hold your shingle in place become loose and start to “back up” out of the wood and shingle.
- Shingles— You may have heard that you have “30-year shingles,” but in Alabama’s hot climate, even the highest-quality shingles typically last only about half that time. Made from oil-based asphalt designed to absorb heat, they break down more quickly in extreme temperatures.
- Debris—If you haven’t cleaned off the roof after fall and winter, it’s likely that you have a significant amount of debris buildup, which could cause issues from leaking to interior damage.
“You’re usually looking at about 12 or 15 years for the life of a shingle roof. Over that time period, you might have to address those pipe boots two or three times. Nail pops are very normal, too—we see them on just about every other roof that we get on.
Cleaning off debris is the most fundamental thing for a roofing system to function properly, and especially this time of year. If you have debris and junk built up in the valleys and against the walls, that’s a recipe for disaster when you get heavy rainfall.”
Beau, Roofer, Apex Roofing & Restoration
Stay secure + protected with Apex Roofing
At its core, Apex Roofing is a storm restoration company with decades of experience helping individuals affected by storms and natural disasters.
They offer resources like:
- Emergency services after major disasters
- Assistance with the insurance process
- Meeting with insurance adjusters to expedite the restoration process
Don’t wait until the next big storm to find out if your roof is up to the challenge. If you’re unsure about your roof’s condition, the experts at Apex Roofing & Restoration are here to help with inspections, repairs + peace of mind.
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