Leak Starters the three Main causes of Roof Leaks

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PART 1 - THE LEAKY VENT BOOT

Roof leaks can be caused by many factors, but not all of these factors can be attributed to a faulty roofing surface. Sometimes, it's other roof features that cause roof leaks to happen, like a faulty vent boot.

Vent boots act as a rubber stopper that keeps a watertight seal around the vent pipes. If a vent boot deteriorates, the space between the boot and the vent pipe can serve as an entry point for water, which can further seep into other parts of the roofing system and the ceiling. Although designed to withstand constant abuse, various factors can severely cut down a vent boot's total lifespan. For example, the changing seasons can cause the rubber seal to turn brittle and crack over time. Hailstorms or sudden impact from branches or other types of debris can also break the boot's watertight seal.


PART 1 - THE LEAKY VENT BOOT

In some cases, the boot stays intact, but the vent collar right below it starts developing rust spots and weakens over time, this removes the watertight seal provided by the vent boot straight from below. Furthermore, changes in temperature can cause a metal vent pipe to expand or contract more than the rubber boot, causing the seal to come off gradually. Finding a roof leak caused by a faulty vent boot is easy if you are familiar with the pipe layout in your home's ceiling; if leak spots appear directly under a vent pipe, it almost always means the vent boot needs resealing or replacement. From outside the home, climbing up on the roof and checking the vent boot up close, can help you figure out if the roof vent is still in good shape. Depending on the severity of the damage, a vent boot can be fixed by applying a waterproof sealing agent on the part where the boor "wraps" around the vent pipe and around the vent collar. However, a roof vent with fairly large cracks is better off replaced with a new one, since it is now more prone to developing even more cracks over time.



PART 2 - FLASHING FAIL The flashing serves as your roof's primary defense where shingles or panels are least effective: at the seams. No matter how seamless your roof may look, there will always be gaps along each roof plane's edges. The roof flashing covers these seams so that your entire roof system forms a single, watertight blanket over your home. Leaks caused by poor flashing can best be explained by the following analogy: imagine that the roof is like an split dome or umbrella that can be separated along its sections, and the flashing is like a layer of duct tape joining these sections together. If the duct tape is removed, water can penetrate the dome by running along the space between each section. Unfortunately, your roof's flashing receives just as much punishment as the roof's outer surface. If asphalt shingles tend to curl up over time and metal roof panels develop rust, flashing can get warped out of shape by constant changes in temperature, if not knocked out of place by debris or even a minor shift in one of the roof planes.


PART 2 - FLASHING FAIL

One of the best ways to check if a leak is caused by faulty flashing, is by determining the location of the leak. Normally, you'd check the spot directly above the roof leak, but sloped roofing designs mean that water dripping down one spot of the ceiling may originate from a different part of the roof up to a few meters away. This is why roof leaks caused by faulty flashing are better off inspected by someone with actual roofing experience. Flashing repair is often a straightforward process; the damaged part is lifted before the existing sealant is cleaned out, and then the gap is filled, the flashing is either put back in place or replaced entirely, and caulking is reapplied. While this may be a simple task when repairing smaller flashing problems (especially chimney and vent flashing), bigger ones such as repairing valley flashing or total replacement is usually best left to professional roofers.



PART 3 - VENTS: AIR OUT, LEAKS IN

Ridge vents are a series of gaps located at the ridge of your roof designed to provide a passage for hot air to exit the attic and avoid problems related to humidity and overheating. Because air keeps circulating properly, moisture doesn't build up, and your attic stays dry... unless your ridge vent is making matters worse by springing a leak or two. One of the most common reasons why a ridge vent leaks, is poor or incorrect installation. Shingles over the ridge vents have to be secured properly to make sure they stay in place and provide enough coverage. If the roof nails used to secure the shingles are too small, then there's a fair chance that strong wind or other factors can knock the shingle off and expose the ridge vent. Even with properly secured shingles, leaks are still likely to happen if the ridge vents are not installed properly. In some cases, ridge vents are laid out like strips end-to-end, spanning the entire length of the roof ridge. However, this means there is some space between the ends of each strip where water can seep through. To avoid this, ridge vents must overlap by at least 1.5 inches and be sealed properly with caulking.


PART 3 - VENTS: AIR OUT, LEAKS IN Of course, ridge vents are bound to have a few leaks without proper maintenance. While the maintenance requirements are fairly low, ridge vents should be inspected at least twice a year. This helps ensure that the ridge vent is free from possible problems before the start of the more extreme seasons (summer and winter).

Inspecting a ridge vent involves walking along its entire length, pulling the vent slightly upward every few meters. Check for any loose seams or fasteners and have them repaired as soon as possible; even a nail slightly out of place can cause problems later on. If you feel like you're not sure of what to look for, there's always the option of calling in a professional roofer for help. While it costs a lot more than performing the inspection on your own, getting professional help is safer and often yields better results.


Roof roof 5015 W W T Harris Blvd Suite D Charlotte, North Carolina 28269 (864) 990-2001

RoofRoof.com NC


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