Ten Common Causes of Roof Leaks
A roof leak is a major inconvenience that can cause a
significant amount of damage to your home. Roof leaks can cause structural
damage to your house, including damage to your attic, ceiling and walls.
Roof leaks can even create health and safety problems for your
family. Water intrusion can cause mold and mildew to spread throughout your
home. Additionally, if water finds its way to electrical wiring, a leak could
become a dangerous fire hazard.
For these reasons and more, it is extremely important to repair roof leaks as
quickly as possible. This begins by determining what the cause of the leaky
roof is. Here are ten common causes of roof leaks.
- Broken
or missing shingles.
High
winds and heavy rains can damage or remove your shingles. You
can visually check for missing shingles by seeing if there are any missing or
different hued patches.
- Flashing
damage.
Flashing
are thin strips of metal that seal roof transitions under shingles to create a
water-resistant barrier. They can slip out of place or the caulking may dry and
crack over time.
- Age
of roof.
Over
time, roofing material can
weaken. Harsh weather and exposure to sunlight can also lead to the
deterioration of your roof, making it easier for water to sneak in. The sooner
you repair roof leaks on an aging roof, the better.
- Clogged
gutters.
Gutters
can become clogged with leaves, pine needles, branches and other debris. This
slows down or stops the flow of rain water, allowing it to pool and making
leaks more possible.
- Skylights.
This
type of leak is easy to spot and is usually caused by improper
installation or measuring of the skylight.
- Chimney.
Water
can trickle in through the chimney and find even the smallest crack or hole to
seep into. Water may also pool at the base of the chimney in certain cases.
Plastic
roof vents may crack over time, and the gaskets around pipe vents can crack or
have gaps in them.
- Soffit
or fascia damage.
Soffits
and fascia are at risk of water damage over time. Water can soften the fascia
and cause holes. Small animals like birds and squirrels can find these holes
and make the problem worse.
- Excess
moisture.
Improper
installation of gutters can lead to draining and pooling issues, causing leaks.
- Holes.
Holes
in the roof can be
caused by falling tree branches or items installed on the roof, such as a
satellite dish.
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