Causes and Solutions for a Roof Leak

There’s many reason’s your roof may be leaking; most likely it’s due to weathering and wind damage caused to the flashing surrounding the roof, surrounding your chimney or surrounding your air vents.  That’s a great place to start and in approximately 95% of roof leak cases; it’s the culprit.  Flashing problems are caused by poor installation, poor quality of product, wind, and flying debris.  In most cases, replacing your flashing will fix your roof leak.

If flashing isn’t your problem, you probably should turn your attention to the age of the actual roof.  If the roof is near its life-span; you probably just need to replace the roofing material.  Most shingles put on roofs are only good for fifteen to twenty years.  Today, roofing material is being made to withstand the natural elements much longer; some roofing materials today can last a homeowner at least 50 years. If your home is prone to high wind gusts and bad weather; you may just want to replace the roof completely; if not, you will need to repair the roof by adding more secure fasteners.

Roofing material and roofing fasteners are often pulled up because of heavy wind gusts; over time, the fastener will completely come lose from the under-lying roofing material.  Water then can get up underneath the roofing and cause a roof leak.  This problem needs to be repaired quickly to avoid mold, mildew, as well as, staining and damage to the inside of your home.

Another common culprit of uplifted shingles that eventually can cause a roof leak is due to poor workmanship.  If roofing materials are not properly installed on your roof with proper over-laps and fasteners at correct perimeters; your roofing can suffer and ultimately cause a roof leak.  If this happens; you may need to call your contractor and explain the situation; especially if your roof is rather new.  Most warranties given to homeowner’s will cover workmanship for a given amount of time.

A roof leak can sometimes occur because debris and foliage has built up in the valleys of your roof.  It’s important to keep these areas clean and free from heavy and weighty items.  A limb or stick from a tree can puncture your roof and create a roof leak.  As well, heavy items on a roof can cause structural damage eventually; roofs can sag and water can puddle creating a roof leak.

Many professional roofer’s recommend their customer’s perform a roof inspection at least twice per year; once during the fall and once in late spring.  These times of year will usually see a heavy amount of rain, it’s better to catch roofing damage prior to ever having a roof leak.  These inspections should also include looking at the flashing on and around your roof, removing debris and foliage from the valleys of your roof; as well as, the gutters.