A leaky roof is among the most popular challenges faced by any homeowner. When your roof leaks, there are different problems that may follow from mold & mildew infestation to ruined housing foundations. And to make matters worse, variable weather conditions will often result to leaks in different locations. It is critical for every household owner to detect and repair those annoying leaks and drips.

When you spot a roof leak, it would be important for you not to panic and to realize that roof leaks can be fixed with often minimal time, expense and commitment. The initial step always requires you to identify the leak source. There are several common places for roof leaks including:

– Field of shingles. If you have an older roof, then you might have leaks within your roof field. This only means the expanse of shakes, slate and shingles. Look at tops that have vertical knockouts. Search for missing granules and cracks. A nail may have backed itself out of roof sheathing.

– Valleys. A valley is where two roof plans meet. Valleys can become huge problems if the shingles are not properly trimmed. Whenever you trim a shingle for a valley, you may end up with a chisel point at the end of shingle. If the second cut isn’t made like an arrow point, water may travel along top the shingle and seep into your home.

– Head wall flashing. The metal flashing should be in place to direct water away from the shingles’ stopping point. The flashing should bend and extend an inch to the mortar joint. Caulk, roofing cement and tar should never be used together with these materials. When you spot them, it means someone has already tried to patch a leak.

– Wall step flashing. Roof leaks can also happen at step flashings. You can often find them where roof climbs at the side of vertical walls. Look for holes and rust in these flashings.

– Chimneys. Chimneys have four various types of flashings. Even a hairline crack above the flashing may allow water to run behind it. Search for soldered corners that have holes or broken. Make sure you don’t use caulk for this.

– Furnace flashings. These flashings may sometimes have metal storm collars. They easily fit snuggly on vertical pipes that goes out of the roof. If they start to loose, these collars may eventually cause leaks.

– Ice dam leaks. These roof leaks are common for homes located in the Snow Belt. Ice dams prevent the flow of water down the roof. The water then starts to back up under shingles, tar paper, flashings and etc. As soon as water flows inside the house, it may drip for several days. Installing membranes under roofing is a preventive measure that you can do.

– Windblown rain leaks. Wind-driven rain is also a main problem. You may have a good roof but wind will help drive water into your roofing structure. If you have metal valleys, make sure you hem its edges.

Whether you are looking for a New York roofing company or Washington roofer to perform a thorough roof inspection, make sure they are licensed and insured.

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Category: Home Management
Keywords: roofer,New York roofing