Roof leaks are a common problem during the rainy season. If your roof is leaking, you'll need to address the issue immediately after the storm to avoid costly roof repairs down the road. The first step in making your roof watertight again is to find out why it can't keep water out.
While roof leaks happen due to all types of reasons, here are some common culprits.
Damaged Or Missing Roof-Covering Material
Your roof-covering material is the first layer of protection against storm damage. If this material is damaged or missing, water will infiltrate the roofing components underneath and eventually end up in your home. Consequently, your roof and home can suffer extensive water damage.
The good news is that damaged and missing shingles are easy to spot. All you have to do is access your roof to visually inspect it. If you spot any broken or missing roof tiles or shingles, you'll need to have them inspected.
Clogged Gutters
Your gutters are the unsung heroes of your residential roof's drainage system. During the rainy months, they direct all water that falls on your roof away from the foundation of your home into a French drain or other stormwater drainage system.
If you don't clean your gutters regularly, they may become clogged with leaves and other large debris that gets pushed into the gutters by the rain. When this happens, water will collect on your roof and eventually force its way through.
If your roof leaks because of clogged gutters, make sure you clean your gutters in addition to fixing the leak spots.
Poorly Installed Skylights
If you're experiencing roof leaks immediately after adding skylights to your home, the problem could be due to a bad skylight installation job. Installing skylights requires cutting out sections of your roof. If your new windows weren't properly sealed during installation, they could create openings for the rain to enter your roof.
Aging Roof
Your roof is not designed to last forever. As it ages, it will start to show signs of wear and tear. Persistent roof leaks are a strong indication of an aging roof. If your roof is leaking and is approaching the end of its expected lifespan, you should consider replacing it. Repairing it can be uneconomical in the long run.
Left unaddressed, a leaking roof can flood your home and cause extensive water damage. The best way to deal with the problem is to fix it at the first sign of trouble. Contact your local roofing repair contractor today for a roof leak detection and repair service.
Once you watched someone put a roof on a home, you have a much deeper understanding of what's involved in this sort of work. Roofing is not easy. There's a big mental component since the roofers need to decide how how many shingles to use, how to best lay them out, and so forth. Then, there's the physical aspect of roofing. Lugging packages of shingles onto the roof is not easy, and nailing them down take a lot of work, too. With that in mind, we welcome you to read more about roofing on this blog. Let the articles inform your opinion of the profession.