Weird Winter

2/10/2020 (Permalink)

This winter has been a weird one. The rain seems to come in waves (you know me and my puns) and then vanish without a trace. Heck, much of Southern California is having freeze warnings as I type this. SERVPRO of Chino / Chino Hills has seen a steep increase in water damage from roof leaks, accounting for roughly 85% of the work we do overall. Roof leaks are a serious pain in the neck, even when they aren’t necessarily catastrophic. To make matters worse, they seem to occur with almost spitefully bad timing.

Roof leaks happen for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:        

• Amateur construction
• Holes made by rodents
• Missing or loose shingles or tiles
• Damaged underlayment

Let’s not forget the giant holes in your roof, commonly known as “sky lights”. While often allowing natural light into a large room, they also allow water in. After all, they are merely sealed holes.

Water leaves stains. More often than not, the first sign of a leak is the telltale discoloration or dark spot that typically occurs along a wall or ceiling. Many people believe that this indicates mold and while this is sometimes true, it is not always the case. Mold can begin growing within 48 – 72 hours, but it requires ideal conditions. It is more common to begin seeing the signs after several days.

Sometimes, roof leaks escalate into something more serious. Roofs can collapse if the structures holding them up are compromised by water and / or age. Attic insulation also plays a key role in these types of losses. Traditional insulation is a fluffy pink variety of woven fiberglass, and it is very absorbent. After it has had its fill and the weight becomes too much for the structure to support, it will let you know by ripping apart your ceiling and spitting debris and drywall all over your house. Definitely not a subtle hint.

The good news is that SERVPRO of Chino / Chino Hills is here to help, whether your roof has a slow leak or the entire roof comes crashing down. Winter is an unpredictable beast and when things go wrong, we are here to help.