Last Updated on April 14, 2022 by Kravelv
Once you know everything about the type and material of your roof, the other thing you need to have complete knowledge of is potential causes that might damage your roof. If you fail to act the quickest, you should get yourself ready to kiss goodbye to all the investment you have put in your house because it is certainly going to require more and more expenses with the passage of time! Roof damage is one of the most serious damages that can emerge in your house; however, there are many preventative measures and precautions that might forestall the damages but never in any case, totally protect it.
If you have do not have sufficient knowledge and know everything about the type and kind of your roof, hiring an emergency roof repair contractor in Atlanta GA is probably going to be the best for you. The best way to prevent damage done to your roof is always the most costly way. If you had gone for the best material from the beginning, it would’ve been costly, and now when you have roof damage right at your doorstep, still, the best option is going to be costly and unreal as it needs you to change the entire roof.
Repairing your roof is a pretty decent expenditure but to value it against the issues to come up later because of the leak, it would seem to be quite the much better considering the outcome of ongoing leaks. Going for a cheaper option, in this case, would be incurring additional expenses upon you by having multiple checkups by the same company and crew, building up to be more than the upfront amount that could’ve been paid in the beginning.
Common Causes of Roof Leaks
A roof leak is a result of a designing flaw during the making, which results in the ponding water, or it is the structural movement and expansion joints at wall flashings allowing for leaking way. Anyway, if the water finds its way through your roof, it is to grasp your immediate attention. The first thing to consider in a roof leak repair like all other solutions is finding the cause of the main problem; now there can be many causes for a roof, some of which are:
The Natural Wear and Tear with Time
A lot of factors causing roof leaks tend to be originally a cause of aging. Everything wears out with age and lack of maintenance, weather conditions, humidity, and different temperatures can be caused to roofing materials to become brittle and eventually develop cracks. Direct sunlight can cause cheap roofing materials like tar to gradually melt off and starts deteriorating. This causes your roof to start developing minor leaks and grow with time.
Imperfect Flatness of The Roof
The slope of your roof is of great importance, and if the slope is too minor, it will start housing puddles in the center, contributing to leaks. And when it happens for the slope to be too steep, it will allow for shingle and debris to settle into the corner giving additional weight to the side. As per the international building code, a roof slope must be 2:12 for the installation of asphalt shingles.
Neglected Rooftops
We often have an overhanging tree with its branches leaning over the roof, even when not that there is always winds and rain coming your way. Wind helps build-up debris of leaves, twigs, and other dust particles that settle on your roof and trap water underneath them and allowing it to seep in by capillary action. This is why it an important thing to consider to not rely on routine rains for the cleanliness of your house and instead have a periodic cleaning yourself.
Water Building Up in The Gutters
As in the previously mentioned points, if the slope of the roof is too steep or not cleaned regularly, then it will not only gather debris on your roof but will also slide into the gutters and leaves and twigs end up blocking it. Blocked gutters accumulate water on your roof and since the normal way to drain is not functioning, it has no other option but to soak in through the roof to cause leaks. Also, you need to make sure your upper roof gutters drain directly to the ground and not the floor below it; it would cause excess moisture on the lower roof which also makes up a good reason for a roof leak.
Holes and Ridge Caps
A ridge cap is the topmost point of a roof joining two roofs, the contractor who doesn’t cover it up and uses rope and harness system without covering it up with a ridge cap protecting it leads to the formation holes eventually with time. Other holes can be formed with the removal of an old T.V antenna without covering it up, the problem with these holes arises when they get filled up with water, and there is no way for it to drain, it seems right through the roof.
The Plumbing Work Inside the Roof
Vents and piping near or through the roof are to sealed properly to avoid any leakage. A possible sign can be a crack or a missing hinge. Water tipping even drops by drop eventually gathers enough moisture to threat3en the penetration of your roof to cause leaks.
Conclusion
Some of the possible cause of roof leaks has been mentioned above, there is a possibility of other things causing it but these are the most common ones you can find. A roof leak is an eyesore and also poses a health threat in some cases. Other than weakening the frame of your house, excess moisture supports the growth of algae and molds, which can cause certain illnesses related to respiration. For the repair of a roof leak, flat roof replacement or flat roof repair, avoid any DIY method if you’re not a pro, otherwise, leave the chore to a residential roofing service that knows its works best, and with the help of the information above you will now have at least the idea of the things that can go wrong and how to prevent them from happening.