Roof leaks can cause significant damage, understanding what causes them is the best approach to avoid them. When it pertains to roof damage, almost nothing is more inconvenient than roof leaks. Roof leaks are a major issue since they can lead to a slew of additional problems down the road. No one wants to deal with a roof leak, but in order to avoid them, you must first understand what causes them. Here’s a rundown of the top five causes of roof leaks:
1) The Flashings on Your Roof Are Cracked
Roof flashings are thin pieces of metal that serve to develop water resistance in leak-prone places like around your chimney and under your shingles. Roof flashings can crack and deteriorate with time, losing their ability to establish a water-resistant barrier. Roof flashings come in a variety of styles, some more lasting than others. When it comes to roof flashings, the best approach to avoid leaks is to keep an eye on them and be proactive about making repairs.
2) Your Roof Valleys Aren’t Adequately Sealed
The valleys on your roof are the locations where two slopes converge, and if they aren’t sealed properly, they can cause roof leaks. Look for wet spots along the seams of your roof to find the source of the problem. Damage from being trodden on, faulty sealing during installation, and erosion due to excess ice or rain can all contribute to improperly sealed roof valleys.
3) There Are Shingles That Are Fractured or Damaged on Your Roof
Heavy rain, hail, and strong winds can all cause shingles to crack, bend, curl, or fall off. Your roof’s shingles are the outermost layer of protection, and without them, your roof will be vulnerable to leaks. To detect damaged shingles, look for stained spots on your roof or granules in your gutters.
4) Ice Blocks
Ice collections are exactly what they sound like: ice blocks that collect on the edge of your roof, forming a barrier that stops water from draining away. Without the capacity to escape from your roof, water has nowhere to go but into the shingles, causing leaks and mould and mildew growth. Furthermore, the weight of the ice dam can cause extra damage to the surface of your roof; therefore, if you have ice dams on your roof, they should be fixed as soon as possible. Inadequate attic insulation is the most prevalent cause of ice dams.
5) Blocked Gutters
Leaks occur when gutters become clogged, preventing excess rainwater and melted snow from draining away from your roof. Your gutters are designed to move water safely away from your roof and home, but they won’t be able to do so if leaves, twigs, build up inside them. Fortunately, blocked gutters are arguably the quickest and cheapest way to prevent and fix roof leaks. You may either climb a ladder and clear your gutters yourself or get a professional to do it for you; either way, you’ll be helping to prevent roof leaks.
Roof leaks can be caused by a variety of factors, you just have to recognize the cause. Alberta’s Permanent Roofing will provide you with a high-quality roof replacement in Edmonton.