When attempting to repair a roof leak, the following tips will help you fix the leak and prevent further damage to the roof and interior of the home. It is important to find and repair the leak as quickly as possible so the wood and other materials near the leak do not rot or become moldy.
Read on to know about some commonly asked questions on roof leak repair.
Roof leak repair is normally easier than tracking one down because it develops away from the location where it appears. A leaky roof can manifest itself into wet stains that may extend all over your ceilings or travel down your walls. Roof repair requires proper leak detection and based on the specific issues you can fix the same either on your own or hire professional roofing services. Here are some tips to find roof leaks:
A detailed inspection of the exterior roof, as well as a close review of the interior of the attic, will help you detect the location of the leak.
Think where water could course or pass through; detect loose nails, examine tiles, and look for an opening between your hardwoods for indication.
Search for causes of a leak like holes, cracks, and gaps in daylight, as external light will then transmit properly to help detect them easily. You can also make use of a bright flashlight.
Observe the ceiling or the walls for watermarks and analyze the source from there.
At the time or soon after a heavy rain, get inside the attic with a flashlight carefully avoiding stepping through the ceiling. During the lack of rainfall, completely wet down the roof to develop a man-made leak.
Analyze the roof decking and rafters above the point where the ceiling is wet in the attic.
Observe any water stains or wet spots up the rafters or roof decking to their highest point.
Evaluate down from the rooftop to the utmost position of the leak and including gable edge to the leak.
In case of the dry roof, climb the roof and assign the measurements to the roof letting any overhang on the roof boundary.
Analyze the roofing closely for a leak mark at the position you measured.
If the source of the leak isn't visible, proceed to search higher up on the roof, as water can travel down behind the shingles prior to appearing in the attic decking or rafters.
Once you have detected the source of your leak, it's advisable to fix it as soon as possible before it gets any worse. While some repairs demand professional help, others can be handled through your simple DIY skills.
Tiny holes in a plane roof can be fixed by patching with a specific type of primer and patching system.
Repair an asphalt shingles because a damaged shingle can cause rains to penetrate close to the nails that can lead to damaging of your house.
Laminated roofing shingles are broader than regular asphalt and may need longer nails or fastener to provide complete security.
Repair a leak in flashing because leaks can be found to occur where flashing has been badly set up or has failed.
Regular pruning of the protruding tree branches will also help keep the roof free of debris while maintaining your gutter's cleanliness.
You can easily repair walls and dormers that are weather-stripped and replace them if needed. For cracked, rotten or missing siding, substituting with a new piece is advised.
In certain instances, home insurance covers the cost of roof repairs like the blowing away of shingles due to a wind storm or destruction of your roof by a heavy snowstorm. This implies that if the damage occurs due to an unavoidable event, you’re normally covered. You won’t be covered if the casualty is an outcome of neglect. That means you’ve either ignored to conduct proper roof maintenance or the impairment could have been prevented with better care, thus ruling out the possibility of insurance coverage.
