The roof is the first line of defense against elements and takes up 40 percent of the exterior of your house, appearance-wise. The last thing you would want is roof leakage. You could end up collecting buckets of water dripping from the ceiling when it rains. However, the water may have ingressed and caused further damage than you think. Here are the five common causes for roof leaks that you should pay attention to before it’s too late.
Age
Age is one of the many common causes of roof leaks. Depending on the roofing material you choose, it could technically last for decades but will require proper maintenance. Eventually, your roof will wear down due to debris, moss, extreme temperatures, adverse weather, and other elements, causing the tiles to suffer damage.
Cracked or Damaged Lead Flashing
Lead flashing plays a vital role in protecting the roof as these are installed on top of joints along with the shingles and the roof. It forms a water-resistant barrier and keeps unwanted pests from infesting the roof over time. However, when lead flashing is exposed to extreme temperature, debris, or other elements, it can crack or get damaged. Without a barrier between the joints, roof leakage is probably a matter of time.
In such a case, you would need to run a new lead flashing after prying out the old ones. Apply sealant to form a water-resistant barrier to fix it up.
Broken or Missing Shingles, Tiles, or Slates
You should be able to spot missing or broken shingles before they do a lot of damage to your roof. Walk outside the house and look for chipped or missing shingles, tiles, or slates. If your region gets a lot of storms or faces extreme weather conditions, check your backyard to find strewn-off shingles.
The fix is to replace the broken or missing shingles. Check if the underlayment has begun to rot or has caught moisture due to water ingression as you will have to get it fixed too before it can spread further. This is one of the main causes of roof leaks.
Ice Dam Build-Up
If you reside in a region that sees snow, you would know how snow would accumulate on the roof. An ice dam is a feature of an ice ridge that forms at the edge of a roof, which prevents melting snow or water from draining off. This adds a lot of weight to the roof and thus, it can cause damage to the roof structurally as well as have water seeping into the roof gradually. Technically, you can use a roof rake to clean up the ridge of the roof as well as add an ice melt product to prevent snow accumulation on the roof.
Condensation
Condensation is considered as the issue behind a multitude of issues including roof leakage. It happens due to differences in the indoor and outdoor temperature, giving a perfect breeding ground for moisture to build up and that’s just the beginning. You will soon see mold, mildew, rotting in the attic space and other issues that need to be addressed immediately.
One of the reasons why condensation happens is if the temperature of your house (especially the attic) is above freezing levels, which causes snowfall to melt. However, as soon as it reaches the edge of the roof, it refreezes due to the cold temperature outside, causing ice dam buildup.
These are some of the common causes of roof leaks. Other issues include damaged roofing membranes, using the wrong roofing material for the roof’s pitch, poorly placed fixings, and so on. For everything, call Alberta’s Permanent Roofing to get the best advice and pro-grade solutions at your disposal.