What are the Main Issues That Cause a roof to leak?
Your roof is a valuable asset in keeping your home safe and comfortable. Several issues can compromise the integrity and strength of your roof, so it is important you are able to spot these issues on the roof. This article discusses how to spot the numerous issues on your roof that can cause damaging leaks to your home.
Missing/Broken Shingles
You may feel that your roof is okay even though it has minor damages from a few missing or broken shingles. However, just because these issues seem small, they can cause severe damages to your home’s exterior and interior. Some leaks can be large and clearly noticeable but typically is found after the damage is already very costly to repair. However, sometimes the leaks can be small and difficult to spot, which leads to the development of hazardous mold and other serious issues around your home. If you see missing or broken shingles on your roof, make sure you take care of the issue or contact a roofing contractor who can fix the repairs quickly to save you money on costly repairs.
Clogged Gutters
Over time your gutters can become clogged with leaves and debris. When the gutters are clogged, the intended path for water is blocked, which forces the water to flood the roof. Your home’s gutters are meant to help travel the water off of the roof but if they are clogged, the water will stay on the roof and seep under the shingles or through any small cracks. This will lead to leaks in your home, damaging your interior and compromising the integrity of your home’s foundation. Be sure to clear out the debris on a regular basis but especially before a rain or snow storm to avoid damaging leaks into your home.
Ice Dam Buildup
Snow creates an insulating blanket, and when combined with heat, the snow left on your roof will begin to melt. This allows water to seep under the left over snow, keeping the portion of snow at freezing temperatures, until it hits open air when it reaches your gutters. Then the water will spill over, creating a dam and the process continues until the continued snowmelt has nowhere to go but down into your home. Clogged drains make it even harder for snowmelt to drain away, speeding up the process of ice damming. According to This Old House, ice dams can tear off gutters, loosen shingles, and cause water to back up and pour into your house. When that happens, the results aren’t pretty: peeling paint, warped floors, stained and sagging ceilings. Not to mention soggy insulation in the attic, which loses R-value and becomes a magnet for mold and mildew.
Unsealed Valleys
Roof valleys can be delicate and unfortunately, timeworn roofs are prone to leaking. According to RoofCalc.net, the reason why a valley is such a sensitive area is because of all the water that accrues and flows via the valley before it gets into the gutters. Roof leaks are also very common in the winter, when all the snow accumulating on a roof creates a potential roof leak to develop. This is especially true, if a roof valley on your property is not properly flashed. If you roof is leaking because of valley issues, you will need to contact a professional to have a new leak barrier installed and ensure that the job is done accurately.
Cracked/Broken Flashing
According to Red Beacon, because of too harsh weather or damage from wind, flashing on diverse places of your roof may become easily damaged over time. Flashing is the most common reason that roofing will get leaks. Sometimes flashing is inadequately installed which makes it highly prone to leaks. If it’s not the installation, it could be a poor quality product or perhaps affected by high winds or weather damage. Either way, if your flashing is damage you are more than likely going to develop a leak over time.
