A roof leak is one of those issues that you should never ignore. While a roof leak usually develops due to many reasons, they can result in significant damages if not repaired right away. Unfortunately, a roof leak is not always that easy to detect, especially in the places that are harder to see as a peak. However, it is essential to conduct regular checks on your roof, including checking for loose shingles and inspecting the peak, to make sure your home is protected and to avoid costly repairs that could even result in having to replace the entire roof.
If you have neglected regular inspections on your roof, here are common things that could occur when you have ignored a roof leak:
1. Ceiling Or Attic Damage
If your home features an attic, the damages caused by a leaking roof will first affect the attic along with anything you have stored in this space. If the home doesn’t feature an attic or when the leak has become large enough it could start to cause damages to your interior ceilings. This often results in dark spots over the ceiling, damaged paint and ceiling plaster that starts to expand.
2. Mildew And Mold
Regarded as a more serious consequence of neglecting a roof that is leaking would have to be the growth of mildew or mold or both. According to Toronto Mold Removal Company Ferro Canada mold will not only attack your floors, walls, ceiling tiles, and wood framing but can also result in a number of health problems. Mold will not only attack your floors, walls, ceiling tiles, and wood framing but can also result in a number of health problems. Mold is associated with the cause of allergic reactions, breathing problems and in young children and the elderly, it can result in a number of other serious health issues.
3. Wasted Energy
Due to the fact that around 40% of the heat loss in a home is generally lost through your attic, it becomes vital that you do not have a leak which contributes towards an increase in heat loss. Water will easily cause damages to insulation in the area of your attic, that results in the loss of both cool and hot air. This will mean that the HVAC system in your home is forced to work much harder to either cool or heat the home, which translates into increased energy bills.
Many leaks are simple to repair when you use a professional and reliable roofing company. However, if your home is already old and you have started to experience roof leaks that are more serious, it is usually the right time to think about a roof replacement. When you make the decision to invest in roofing services of high-quality, you are guaranteed that your brand-new roof will keep your home protected for many years into the future.
3 Most Common Causes For Roof Leaks
Even a small drip that is coming from your roof is usually an indication of a much larger roofing problem. Most homeowners are well aware that most roofing problems translate into investing in money and time. Here is a list from https://armorservices.com/ of the more common causes as to why a roof leaks, what they will look like, the reason they occur, and how you can fix them.
Regardless of whether your roof is twenty years old or only two years old. It is hard to tell when it results in a difference between a cost-effective and quick repair or when a major-remodel is a requirement.
1. The Flashing Has Cracked
The flashing is the thin metal pieces which are found under your shingles and over the joints of the roof which create the water-resistant barrier, which is either exposed or concealed. When the flashing is exposed they will look like runs of long metal sheets. While when they are concealed, the flashing features rubberized coatings over the top. When the flashing breaks it will feature medium to largely sized cracks.
Roofers will often make use of tar in order to seal your flashing together, which usually corrodes as time goes by. When the flashing is constantly exposed to the elements, they become more vulnerable to cracks.
The Remedy
Once you have found the source for the leak, pull the nails up that were used in order to secure your old flashing. Lift the shingles and remove any of the cracked segments. Install a new flashing run into place, and end by fastening back into place with roofing nails. Apply a good-quality roofing sealant over the heads of the nails.
2. Broken Shingles
This problem is a bit easier to find since your shingles make up the outside layer of your roof. It is easy to spot missing or broken shingles. This usually occurs from heavy rains and high winds.
The Remedy
Use a pry-bar to slide under the nails which connect a damaged shingle to a shingle below it. Lift gently until nails pop up, followed by pushing down on a shingle while removing the nails. Remove the old shingle replacing with the same colored new shingle, making sure your secure it into place with 4 new nails.
4. The Valleys Are Not Sealed Correctly
This is the space where 2-planes of your roof meet up. Since this space of your roof is typically sloped, when the valleys have not been sealed correctly, rainwater starts to get inside, before it starts to flow down your roof. This leak is easy to detect when you find wet or damp spots which are running along seams of the roof.
This can occur due to a variety of factors such as when the sealing was not done correctly, or it cracked when it was stepped on. Other reasons usually include elements such as ice and excess rain which cause the sealing to erode.
The Remedy
This is a task that is best left to professional roofing contractors, preferably the same company that you used to install your roof. Your reliable roofer will remedy such an issue in the way of laying a brand-new leak barrier, which will run along the shingling overtop and of course the valley.