Roof Leaks

Roof leaks are a problem no home owner wants to think about. Roof leaks can come as a result of normal aging or breakdown of your shingles. However it has been my experience over the years that most roof leaks are a result of either some type of surface damage or often a result of water or more likely ice being forced under the roof surface in a process referred to as ice damming.

If you have recently discovered a new roof leak then the first thoughts should be to consider if anyone was recently on the roof or if anything was mounted to the roof. Most common problems occur after installations like satellite dish mounts.

A word of warning: Do Not attempt to climb on your roof without proper safety equipment and experience. Seek professional help if you are not equipped for this task. There are many qualified companies in your area offering roof services including roof inspections and guaranteed repair estimates.

If your search for finding roof leaks in your home leads to a closer inspection begin by looking in your attic space. You may just find tell tail signs where the roof leak is occurring by carefully inspecting the under side of the roof sheeting and adjoining truss or rafter members. Keep in mind that it is possible for the water to come through at one point and then follow a roof rafter and drop onto the ceiling insulation at a different location.

During the winter months it is most common to see roof leaks occur as a result of ice damming or ice building up in clogged rain gutters and working its way up under the shingle edges along the roof eaves. This ice dam can cause a great deal of damage if it goes undetected. One of the main recommendations I make to avoid roof leaks is to make sure and clear all gutters late in the fall to assure their proper drainage when the winter snows begin to melt and refreeze.

If you are performing a visual roof inspection yourself you will want to look closely for any broken or missing shingle tabs. If your roof includes one or more valley areas then you will need to inspect all areas of the valley particularly if the valley lines up with a discovered leak on the underside of the roof. One last thing to look for on your roof top inspection would be any visible nail heads showing through the shingles as a visible nail head will allow water to follow it down through the roof.

In most of these cases you should be able to purchase a tube of black asphalt sealant for a caulking gun and perform spot repairs including replacing a random missing shingle tab or sealing the bolts that anchor a new antenna dish. As a last warning when dealing with any roof leaks it is most important to exercise extreme caution and follow all safety requirements.