5 Possible Causes of a Leaky Roof
If your roof is leaking, this can result in damage as rain seeps through causing mold and dampness to collect. Roof repairs can be dangerous to tackle on your own so you might be better off hiring a roofer to take care of business. To get you started, however, here are 5 possible causes of a leaky roof.
Leaky Flashings
Flashing is material that is used to cover along the joints on your roof to prevent water from seeping through. Flashing is used around the edge of skylights and pipe vents, around the edge of where chimneys meet roofs, and along the valleys in the roof where two pitches meet. It is usually made of materials such as aluminum, steel, lead or foam. If this flashing becomes weathered or just loosens, water will begin to get through these joins.
Damaged Ridge Capping
You may have noticed if you run your eye along the top of your roof, the ridge capping. While flashing runs along the valley of your roof where two surfaces meet, ridge capping runs along the peak of the roof at the high point where the two angled surfaces meet. If this join wasn't capped, water would enter your ceiling through the breaks.
The mortar that cements the capping along the ridge can become weathered and cracked by the elements: rain, hail, sun, and snow breaking it down. Once the ridge caps become loose, rainwater has free passage.
Damaged Tiles
Another possible cause of a leaky roof are tiles that are chipped or cracked or just displaced. Damaged tiles should be replaced, or possibly be repaired by a roofer using an epoxy resin filler. While displaced tiles just need to be rearranged.
Blocked Gutters
If your gutters or downpipes are blocked, this can force water into the eaves. Cleaning your gutters and cutting overflow outlets into the gutters so that water can drain away from the house should solve this problem.
Shallow Roof Pitch
Roof tiles are manufactured with specifications for a recommended roof slope or pitch in mind. If the pitch is too shallow, simply not steep enough, this can result in a leaky roof as water enters underneath and around the tiles. An expert roofer will be able to analyze your roof's slope and check its steepness for any issues.
Prevention is always better than a cure. So pay attention to any signs of roof dampness or water leakage and stop any problems from building up to become major headaches.
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