Monsoon season can spell trouble for your Arizona home. These storms bring high winds and heavy downpours, which can cause all kinds of damage to your roof and other areas of your home. Monsoon season typically starts in early to mid-June and ends in late September. During this season, it’s essential to ensure your home is protected from storm damage. Arizona homeowners might not realize just how much damage monsoons can cause. The following information can help prepare your home for an Arizona monsoon storm.
Kinds of Arizona Monsoon Storm Damage
Missing Shingles
Monsoons in Arizona can damage your roof in several ways. The gusty winds and downpours that are part of these storms can fling debris around and tear off roofing components, such as shingles. Having missing shingles leaves gaps in your roof that rainwater can seep through, causing leaks inside your home.
Shingle Damage
The wind that comes with a monsoon storm can also cause tree branches, twigs, and other debris to land on your roof. This debris can cause scrapes, dents, and other damage to roofing shingles. When shingles are damaged, this also increases your risk of having a roof leak.
Roof Leaks
Damage to other parts of your roofing system, such as flashing, can result in small openings that rainwater can get through. Remember that roof leaks from monsoons can lead to water damage in your home. Water damage can cause wood rot, encourage mold growth, and lead to other problems.
Gutter Damage
Monsoon storms can damage your gutters. Your gutter system should be able to direct water away from your home, especially during monsoons. Damaged gutters might not be able to do that, which can cause water to get into your attic or build up along your home’s foundation.
Fires
Lightning strikes that occur during monsoons can spark fires. Depending on your roof’s fire resistance, this can put your home at risk.
Other Types of Monsoon Damage
Monsoons can cause other kinds of damage to your home as well, such as broken windows due to flying debris. Fallen trees can also lead to severe damage.
Tips for Protecting Your Home from Monsoons
Schedule Roof Repairs Before Storms
How can you ensure your home is safe from wind and water damage during monsoon storms? You can take several steps to protect your roof and home from monsoon damage. Having roof repairs done before these storms arrive can help lower the risk of leaks and other damage. For example, have missing or damaged shingles replaced before storms to prevent gaps in your roof.
Clean and Check Gutters
Cleaning out your gutter system and checking for damage is another way to protect your home from monsoon damage. Debris in your gutters can block rainwater and cause it to spill over the sides instead of reaching downspouts. Repairing dents and other gutter damage helps ensure water can flow through your gutter system, even during torrential downpours.
Trim Trees
Having trees on your property trimmed to remove dead branches can help reduce the risk of having branches and twigs fly around during monsoons. This helps lower the risk of damage to your roof, windows, and other areas of your home.
Invest in a Metal Roof
Consider the type of roofing system you have on your home. Shingles and similar roofing systems have a more challenging time withstanding high winds and heavy rains during monsoon season. A metal roof is designed to handle this kind of weather, making it a wise investment for your Arizona home.
Benefits of a Metal Roof
Metal roofing systems can withstand exposure to high winds. Unlike shingle roofs, you don’t have to worry about any components being torn off or damaged with a metal roof. These roofing systems also won’t corrode or sustain other damage when exposed to heavy rains. This helps protect your home from water damage and leaks.
Metal roofs have a long lifespan as long as they’re correctly installed. These roofs can last for several decades, even with exposure to monsoon storms. This long lifespan makes them a long-term investment for your home.
With a metal roof, you don’t have to worry about lightning strikes causing fires during monsoon season. Metal roofs don’t ignite as other roofing materials do, such as wood.
Find a Metal Roofing Expert in Arizona
If you decide to install a metal roof, find a reliable company with metal roofing expertise. At Vertex Roofing, we only install metal roofing systems. Our team has years of experience installing these roofs for Arizona homeowners.
If you’re considering installing a metal roof, please contact Vertex Roofing. We specialize in installing metal roofs on homes in the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
