Standing water refers to water that remains on your roof for more than a day or two. People know having standing water pool on their roof isn't a good thing, but few understand just how much damage can result and just how significant that damage can be.

Here are just five problems associated with standing water.

1. Added Weight

Water weighs quite a lot, and it's often easy to underestimate how much water your roof is holding. You might think that roofs are made to take plenty of weight, and you're right. However, they are designed with certain weight thresholds, and standing water can help them exceed them. When that happens, a collapse becomes more likely. Even if the roof doesn't collapse, the strain can still damage its structural integrity.  

2. Leaks

You might think your roof is watertight, but you're probably wrong. In fact, roofs with even slightly sloping roofs usually have tiny pinhole imperfections. They're normally nothing to worry about — water will look for the fastest way down, streaming off the roof instead of seeking out those pinholes. But standing water is caught, and downward pressure is going to start forcing water through those pinholes.

3. Moss Growth

Moisture is required for moss and other plants to grow, so your roof is more likely to get covered in the stuff if you don't do anything about standing water. Moss and other plants can damage a roof's structural integrity and reduce curb appeal — they may also attract pests.

4. Physical Deterioration

Your roof is made from tough materials, but those materials are not invulnerable, and no roof lasts forever — if they did, roof repair companies wouldn't be a thing. Most of those materials, from slates to nails to bonding, deteriorate a lot faster when exposed to water, so you're probably going to require extensive maintenance if you allow standing water to remain.

5. UV Degradation

As if physical degradation wasn't bad enough, you'll also have to put up with UV degradation. Of course, this will only be a problem with certain modern roofs, but it's still something to keep in mind.  You see, water focuses any sunlight that passes through it, so the fading caused by UV light will get kicked up a notch. Even after the water finally evaporates, you may notice a patch on your roof where the material is more faded. This is another good reason to sort the problem as quickly as possible.

Contact a company like Blue West Roof Restorations to learn more.