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Common Causes of Roof Leaks And How To Spot Them

Find Out Why Your Roof Is Leaking And What to Do When It Happens

As a homeowner, a leaking roof is problem you will eventually come across. If water is leaking from your roof, then it is very important to locate the source and exact cause. Our team at Proven Contracting knows that if they are not found and taken care of early, they can cause significant damage to your home which may be costly to repair. This way, we are able to repair as soon as possible and minimize not only cost but also preventing the leak from becoming an even greater problem.

Often, it may be difficult to determine the exact cause of why your ceiling is leaking water. So, we have assembled a list of factors that may trigger leaks in your home.

Some of the reasons that may cause your roof to leak:

These are some of the most common causes of leaks in your home:

1. Age of Your Roof

   After some time, weather conditions can take a toll on your roof’s structure. As it ages, it begins to crack and deteriorate leaving it more vulnerable and prone to leaks and other structural damage.

   

2. Missing Shingles / Leaking Roof Tiles

   Over time, shingles can crack because of heat or they can be ripped off due to strong winds. This causes areas to be left exposed where water can accumulate and eventually seep through creating leaks.

3. Gutter Blockage

   If your gutters becomes clogged (with leaves, twigs or other debris) this can cause it to overflow onto your roof. Once this happens, it may over saturate resulting in your ceiling having leaks.

4. Roof Vents, Flashings and Ridge Caps

   Most homeowners don’t often know but if you use plastic vents, they are more prone to crack after a couple of years due to weather conditions. Additionally, if the gaskets around the vent pipes are not sealed correctly, it will cause your ceiling to leak. The flashings need particular care as it is where the dormer is joined to the roof, is around the chimney area and around the edges of skylights (if you have any). If this slides out of place or is missing nails, you will have a serious problem on your hands. Ridge caps are used to cover the gap at the peak of a roof where the two slopes convene or join. They need to be fortified properly otherwise holes can appear causing leaks in your roof.

   

My roof is leaking, what should I do?

Here are some tips on how to approach finding a solution when your roof starts to leak.

Old Roofs

If you have an old roof, weather conditions may have already beaten it down and there is very little you can do. With a deteriorating roof structure which would be prone to multiple leaks, your options would be having minor roof repair frequently done to stop the leaks or to have a replacement done. It may seem drastic, but if repairing your roof is something you have to do every month, it may be a sign to see if it needs replacing.

Shingles

In order to fix missing shingles or broken roof tiles to prevent your ceiling from leaking, there are a few simple solutions. You perform regular checks by climbing up a ladder or if you can’t do it yourself, you can call us to check for you.

Gutters

Clogged and frozen gutters can be quite problematic, especially during the winter time

To avoid this, you should perform regular checkups to inspect your gutters and clean then when necessary. If you need assistance with checking or thawing your frozen gutters, give us a call so we can help!

Roof Vents, Flashings and Ridge Caps

For roof vents and flashings, water seepage can occur of your they are not secured and sealed properly. For both structures, it is important to check for missing nails then for cracks or gaps that may allow water to pass through. In regards to flashings, make sure that they do not slide out of place as well. When dealing with ridge caps, you must ensure that its it securely installed and there are no holes that can allow rain water to enter. To repair, you can replace the missing nails or use roof sealant for leaks in order to stop the roof leaks.

There may be other reasons why your roof is leaking. If you have checked the above factors and your roof is still leaking, we recommend that you give us a call to do a proper inspection to determine the cause so we can promptly repair it for you. It’s best to repair leaks quickly so that they don’t develop onto more serious problems which will cost you ten fold of a simple repair.

At Proven Contracting we offer free estimates, at all our location (Bridgewater, Long Valley and Randolph) so feel free to take advantage of the offer to get your roofs checked out to avoid unnecessary leaks or problems.

Check out the following video about some of the most common causes of roof leaks.

 

Click the following links to learn more about:
Roofing in Bridgewater
Roofing in Long Valley
Roofing in Randolph 

Thank you for reading and feel free to visit any of our locations in NJ for all your roofing needs:
Proven Contracting of Bridgewater
Proven Contracting of Long Valley
Proven Contracting of Randolph