Angie's List Tips For Roof Repairs

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - April showers may bring May flowers, but they could also cause leaks to your home.

Matt Cairns checked out his finished attic after a hard rain and noticed water stains around the skylight.

Cairns knew it was going to be a problem he would have to address, but he didn't expect it to be an urgent.

"The next night it rained hard again and I came up here and the spot had gotten way worse. I was able to just stick my fingers right through the drywall. Then I knew I needed to get some attention on this pretty quickly," Cairns said.

Your roof is your home's number one defense against the elements. No part plays a bigger role in keeping the elements out, so when a roof requires a repair, there's little time to waste.

"Inspecting your roof regularly will help you determine if there are leaks from your roof. You want to be sure to check a leak and fix it as quickly as possible because if you don't it can lead to structural damage in your home and also mold which can turn into a costly repair," Angie Hicks from Angie's List said.

When it comes to your roof and leaks, Angie's List said there are four signs to look out for.

"In a roof inspection, you should look for four common problems on your roof. Curling shingles, broken shingles, missing flashing and areas where water may be pooling on your roof," Hicks said.

Hicks said though your situation might seem to be one of desperation, avoid settling on the first contractor who comes along and offers to do the job.

"Keep in mind, when hiring a roofing contractor, you want to have a reputable company, someone who is going to stand behind it. Your roof will last a long time so you don't want someone working on it who is not going to be able to stand behind their work. So, if you find after a storm someone coming door-to-door say no. Go do your research and hire a company on your own," Hicks said.

"My personal policy is to always get at least two and ideally three quotes, three estimates on what the problem might be. So, I brought out another contractor and he actually got up on the roof, he didn't want to just look at the skylight, he wanted to look at the entire roof," Cairns said.

A general roof lifespan can be 25 to 30 years.

But, you should have someone check it out every five years just to make sure your roof is okay.

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