The advantages of taking care of and maintaining a roof cannot be overemphasized. However, it will be likened to pouring water on a stone if homeowners don’t know what signs that, when seen, should serve as an indication that their roof needs a professional touch from a company like the Koala Roofers in Raleigh.
If you are looking to know if your roof needs to be worked on, then search no more. This article will highlight the most common sign that a roof needs to be repaired or replaced.
The most common sign that a roofer needs to visit your roof is if it starts leaking. The primary function of a roof is to protect the house from external forces. A leaking roof contradicts this essential purpose of a roof. If your roof leaks, it causes a buildup of mold and moss inside your house. It may also cause electrocution in the presence of an electric wire or electric appliance. A leaking roof causes an accumulation of water, which may, in turn, weaken the entire roof structure. In general, roof leakage may cause damages to life and properties.
To check if your roof is leaking, you should check for any stream of light in your attic. Of course, a stream of light that comes through a roof’s skylight should not be counted as a sign of roof leakage. In a case where a stream – or streams of light is seen in your attic, you should take that as a sign that your roof is leaking.
If you are wondering what caused your roof to leak, this article will highlight five possible reasons why your roof is leaking.
Five causes of roof leaks.
- Blocked roof gutters: I assume that you know what a roof’s gutter is used for. But if you don’t know, here is a simple explanation. A roof gutter is literally like a gutter that is used to transport water from the roof to a house’s primary drainage system. A roof gutter connects and carries water from a roof’s valley through pipes to a house’s main drainage system. A roof’s gutter can be blocked by debris, leaves, sticks, and many other materials. When a roof’s gutter is blocked, it prevents water from running off. The blocked water will, in turn, cause leakages to the roof.
- Damaged flashings: roof flashings are thin materials that are put on the roof to prevent water from entering inside a house through the joints and seams of roof features. These roof features may include chimneys, vents, skylights, etc. In simpler terms, roof flashings prevent water from seeping into a roof through the edges of a chimney, vents, and other roof features. Therefore, in a situation where roof flashings are not correctly installed, they may lead to roof leaks. Also, roof flashings that are old and weak may not perform their purpose of preventing water from entering the house. Instead, they will serve as avenues for water to enter a roof.
- Old roof: a roof is one of the longest-lasting components of a house. A good roof is usually estimated to have a lifespan of between 15 – 25 years. Therefore, a roof that has stayed longer than it’s supposed to or a roof that is getting close to its expiry year might start having leaks. You can know if your roof becomes too old by keeping dates of when you installed it. Also, you can know that your roof is getting old by taking a critical look at it. If It appears old, then it may indeed be old.
- Broken shingles: shingles are the most popularly mentioned part of a roof. Shingles are rectangular-shaped materials that are used to protect the entire roof from rainfall and melted snow. When you look up to your roof, those materials you see are called shingles. Unlike roof flashings that prevent water from entering the roof through the joints and edges of roof features. Roof shingles protect the entire roof from water penetration. If a roof is damaged or broken, it means that your roof will leak.
- Improperly installed skylights: a skylight is a roof feature that allows sunlight to pass through a roof to an attic. A skylight is usually made from a transparent material. It is made from a material that will enable only light to pass through it, not water. It is a window built on a roof. When not installed well, a skylight may be the reason why water is entering into your house through your roof.
It is advisable to repair a roof before its damages escalate. One of the many signs that, when noticed, should serve as an indication to a homeowner that his/her roof needs to be worked on is if his/her roof starts leaking. This article has highlighted the causes of roof leaks in a house.
