The news that Mount Redoubt, after two months of warnings from the Alaska Volcano Observatory and U.S. Geological Survey, erupted on March 22 solicits only academic interest for anyone not living in the 49th state or planning to fly across the northern-most skies in the upcoming weeks and months. Yet, the warning mechanisms and the lessons of preparation closely parallel eruptions, collapse, and calamity of your home’s roofing system. Here are the warning signs and types of roofing damage that threaten to compromise the all-important peak of your home.

External and Internal Signs of Roofing Damage
While the top blowing off your home is an easy metaphor to make, a more informative analogy applies to the external and internal signs of eruption or collapse. Take a look at these common warning signs to identify the more obvious symptoms of an impending roofing disaster. It’s really important to keep an eye on these signs to ensure your roof is safe, otherwise, you’ll end up calling 24 hour emergency roofers to come and fix your roof.

Ceiling Spots, Mold: Ceiling spots or the smell of mold indicates condensation and moisture have saturated your roofing system, a clear signal that bigger problems are on the way.

Curling and Buckling: Actual physical changes to your roof’s exterior virtually guarantee professional roofing services are needed. Curling and buckling makes roofing systems especially susceptible to high winds.

Missing Shingles, Damage to Flashings: Missing shingles or damaged flashings can be caused by systematic problems, such as poor ventilation, or isolated events like hail or fallen tree branches. Failure to address these signs will lead to a costly roof leak and eventually total roofing failure.

Algae and Granule Loss: The presence of algae must be promptly remedied to prevent granule loss and further damage. The loss of granules—the shingle’s protective mineral covering—is also associated with algae, hail, and other external forces. Check gutters, downspouts, and the ground for shed granules to determine if your roof is at risk.

A Home can Erupt without Warning Signs
Homeowners should have their roofs professionally inspected each year. (The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends you have your roof inspected twice a year.) According to research studies conducted by roofing manufacturers, as well as anecdotal evidence from qualified roofing contractors across the country, up to 90 percent of residential roofs aren’t installed properly, causing problems to arise that aren’t covered by manufacturer warranties. In some circumstances, evidence of the improper installation may be detected only after years of wear-and-tear have exposed installation techniques used in sub-surface spaces. Identifying these types of problems before damage occurs can save you thousands of dollars in repair costs.

Uncertain Timelines, Uncertain Consequences
Signs of roof damage can present themselves many seasons before major roofing failure occurs and a new roof is needed. Plenty of warning signs were present in the weeks leading up to Mount St. Helens, but the eruption dwarfed the experts’ worst-case scenarios. Similarly, homeowners who see a wet spot on their ceiling, a few missing shingles, or the presence of attic mold and fail to act are risking more than an expensive roof repair. Here are three disaster scenarios associated with roofing failure:

1. Hurricane Blows Roof off Home. Damaged or worn roofing is much less likely to withstand the force of a hurricane, even roofs that were originally designed to endure extreme winds. When a roof is blown off a home during a hurricane the collapsing pressure usually results in total property loss.

2. Roof Vents and Wildfires Burn Down Home. Roof ventilation is critical to maintaining a roof’s life expectancy and energy-efficiency, but poorly designed or installed roof vents can leave your home vulnerable to wind-blown embers.

3. Mold and Pests Present Health Hazard. Damaged roofs lead to moisture, which in turn allows mold to grow and, possibly, cause headaches, fatigue, respiratory distress, or worse. Fecal matter and waste left by any number of pests can also introduce dangerous biohazardous materials into the home.

Other Areas of Your Home that Might Erupt
While roofing makes for a natural metaphor for volcanic eruptions, any number of home areas can mirror this natural disaster. Chinese-made drywall, for example, has been found to contain and eventually emit sulfur-based gas that can corrode electrical wiring, air conditioning coils, plumbing fixtures, and other metal items. Coincidentally, sulfur dioxide is one of the main gases expelled during volcanic explosions and is one of the main toxins associated with acid rain. Creosote is the resin that builds up and lines the walls of your chimney. Without periodic cleaning, this by-product can ignite and cause a flue fire that erupts from the top of your chimney with sparks and chunks of flaming creosote.