A loud banging noise on a roof at night can sometimes feel like a cause for alarm. Is someone trying to break into your home? Is your roof going to cave in? Should you call roof storm damage contractors in Nashville for assistance?
Thankfully, most of the time, those noises have a simple explanation: thermal expansion and contraction. Dragon Scale Roofing & Solar is here to explain the concept and offer ways to help reduce the noise.
Changing temperatures affect different objects. When the air around them warms up, the roofing materials tend to expand, even if that expansion isn’t very noticeable to the naked eye; when they cool down, they’ll do the opposite. This process is thermal expansion and contraction and can happen to roofing materials of all sorts — including metal roofs.
Thermal expansion and contraction is generally most noticeable when the temperature changes drastically. For example, during the winter, temperatures tend to drop, which can make thermal expansion and contraction more noticeable. In addition, sunlight hitting the roof in the morning and disappearing at night can cause the materials to expand or contract.
When materials expand and contract, they can sometimes make noises — including loud banging and popping noises. When you hear loud noises coming from your roof at night, there’s a decent chance you’re hearing the results of thermal expansion and contraction.
Since thermal expansion and contraction are natural occurrences, it’s difficult to eliminate them entirely. Some contractors have found success by adding wooden braces to the trusses and rafters. You could also potentially add more ventilation to the attic; while this won’t likely eliminate the popping or banging noises, it can reduce them by reducing the difference between the attic’s temperature and the outside world. Alternatively, you could add insulation to make the noises less obvious.
While a loud banging noise on a roof at night doesn’t usually indicate a concern, there are certain situations where you might want to request help from a roofing contractor. For example, say the frequency of the noises has increased. This may indicate that something is wrong with the roof, so you’d likely want to request service.
When in doubt, it’s beneficial to schedule an inspection for your Nashville, Tennessee home’s roofing. This will give a roofing contractor the opportunity to examine every inch of your roof, double-checking for issues and providing you with peace of mind.
A loud banging noise on a roof at night often isn’t a cause for concern. That said, under certain circumstances, it may still be beneficial to have a professional look at your roof.
Dragon Scale Roofing & Solar is here to provide you with assistance, whether you want to know what’s causing the banging or what type of roof is best for hurricanes. Reach out to learn more today.
