COMMON AREAS FOR A ROOF LEAK – Family Roofing

Posted on by David Reid

CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004

FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM

 

At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

COMMON AREAS FOR A ROOF LEAK

How to Find A Roof Leak

There are several types of roof leaks, but it’s most important to find the leak, then repair it to mitigate the damage.  The leak may be several feet to the side from an interior water stain. You should inspect the roof, starting uphill of the stains.  Check for penetrations in the roof, including plumbing and roof vents, chimneys, etc.

Start your leak detection strategy by looking for attic condensation.  You may need to get onto the roof if you have a vaulted ceiling.  If you can’t find the source, spray a garden hose above the suspected area.  Start uphill of the chimney and have someone inside check for dripping water.  If this doesn’t help, remove shingles to look for water staining, rotted wood, or discolored felt paper.

Most Common Areas for a Roof Leak

  • Shingles: Leaks may come from cracks or where a nail has lifted out of the roof sheathing.  The roof field itself can have many leak points, including the slate.  Check the vertical knockouts of each shingle for damage.  It’s easier to walk around a roof if it’s made of asphalt, while other materials such as concrete or clay tile can be more difficult.

  • The Valley: Located where two roof planes intersect, valleys can be problematic leak points if your shingles aren’t properly trimmed.  Cutting a shingle results in a chisel point, which requires a second cut to make it point like an arrow.  Otherwise, water will flow from the top of the shingle into your house.

  • Flashings: Roofs that stop at a vertical wall have head wall flashings to direct water away from where shingles end.  Step flashings used if the roof climbs alongside a vertical wall can develop rust or holes.  Other problem areas can be plumbing vent flashings with cracked rubber around the pipe.  Similarly, furnace or B-vent flashings can be leak sources, especially if a metal storm collar (used around vertical piping extending through the roof) is loose.

  • Chimneys: There are four types of flashing used for chimneys, as well as counterflashing for the brick mortar joint.  Just a hairline crack above the flashing can trigger a leak. Soldered flashing corners can break or develop holes.  Caulking is not an effective repair for this type of problem.

Roof leaks can occur even if your roof is in good shape.  Wind can blow rain under roofing materials from across the surface.  Missing siding above the roof can cause a leak as well, while some leaks don’t come from the roof at all.  They can come from attic condensation or cracked chimney crowns.