Signs & Causes Of Roof Leaks In Heavy Rain
Signs & Causes Of Roof Leaks In Heavy Rain
Blog Article
A roof is a valuable asset for each homeowner. Although it looks fine whenever there’s light dazzle or moderate showers, you feel leeks from the roof as soon as heavy rain starts. You may wonder what are the reasons for roof leaks.
The reasons vary it can be due to improper installation or materials of roofs or lack of proper maintenance as per professional instructions.
But this is not a laughing matter. It can cause several damages to your property, and mold and mildew can be poised for you and your family members. But how do you protect your roof from leaks and damage? What are the common signs of it, so that you can protect or inspect it earlier?
In this article, we’ll tell you the obvious signs and causes of roof leaks to protect it from major damage. So let’s get started!
10 Major Causes Of Roof Leaks
To know what causes roof leakage during rain, here are some of the reasons. Just go through them to notice if your roof has gone through it or not. These are:
1. Clogged Gutters
Gutters are an essential part of a roof so that rainwater flows down in an accurate way without damaging the property. But sometimes, these gutters get clogged if proper maintenance is not done. This clogging can occur due to heavy winds which cause leaves, dirt, and debris to stay inside the gutter and get clogged over time.
This way, water starts backing up and overflowing and it starts seeping through the edges of the gutter weakening the roofs, walls, paints or other materials. It’s essential to do proper maintenance so that there is no point left for water seeping into your house.
2. Chimneys Problem
Sometimes when water seeps into your house, most homeowners look for roofs to know what exactly causes the water to seep in. But the actual issue is with the chimneys. Chimney leaks can occur due to several reasons such as damaged or missing chimney caps, deteriorating mortar joints, cracked or damaged flashing, and issues with the chimney crown.
The chimney cover can be completely detached or loose when heavy winds occur which causes rainwater to come in. The same goes for motor joints, chimney flashing, and chimney crowns. They start to weaken with age and make room for water to easily come through these holes which damages the property and other materials inside the house.
3. Skylight
Skylights are a beautiful addition to your house. They can also be a cause of leakage if not properly installed or condensated over time. This is because the surroundings of your skylights are more vulnerable to water intrusion, which causes seals to gradually lose their adhesiveness or may fall over with time.
Additionally, condensation when the outside temperature of the house doesn’t match with the inside temperature or starts losing its adhesiveness which causes rainwater to come in that damages the walls or paint to peel off gradually. It’s important to call off a window expert to inspect your skylights quickly without any delays.
4. Broken Flashing
Flashing is an important defense system for your house. They are mainly installed in various places to protect the areas of seams and joints of the roof.
If flashing gets broken, cracked, or curled it makes room for water to seep inside your home causing damage to your property including the furniture you have. It’s important to inspect it carefully without delaying it.
5. Worn Roof Valley
Roof valleys are the lowest point where two slopes meet. It must be extremely strong as a huge amount of water runs off through it whenever there are heavy rains or ice dams over it. It should be properly installed or protected to bear these pitfalls.
If valleys are structured improperly a huge amount of water comes inside your house, which creates issues for house members to live in that house. So make sure to inspect or install it from roofing experts so that you can live comfortably inside your house.
6. Damaged Or Missing Shingles
Shingles are an important roofing material that adds aesthetic value to your house. There are different types and colors of shingles available in the market. But these shingles can also be a cause of water leakage in heavy rain or age. These shingles can get curled, broken, or missing whenever there are high winds.
With these issues, the integrity of the house is compromised. Once the water knows its way to enter it, it can damage the underlying structure of the roof and house. Make sure that whenever you see a missing, cracked shingle, install it quickly.
7. Cracked Or Worn Sealant
Roof sealants are an important source to stop water from coming inside the house through the roofs. They are used around roof penetration like chimneys, vents, and skylights to prevent water from damaging the roof or its structure. Over time, the sealant can be cracked or curled due to weather exposure, such as too much sunny weather or heavy rainfall or winds. Make sure to check on these sealants to avoid leakage of it.
8. Pipe Boot Failure
Sometimes, pipe boot failure arises from damage or the wear out of protective covering around roof vent pipes. It is made of different materials including metal, rubber, and plastics; they are usually used to cover the area on the roof in which pipes are coming out.
Continuous exposure to these elements will make these substances break, tear, or decline eventually. With degraded pipe boots, there would be gaps for water leaks as it passes during heavy rains seeping into spaces created by the faulty pipe booting.
9. Poor Roof Ventilation
Proper ventilation is essential for homeowners as this causes major issues from house structure to members. Inadequate roof ventilation can cause moisture buildup inside the attic which leads to condensation.
This moisture can drip on the insulation which can cause water to seep through the ceiling - damaging the structure of the roof. Additionally, the moisture can also cause heat in the attic which can be a result of deterioration of roofing materials. This causes roof damage easily or makes space for water leakage.
10. Roof Age
Roof age is an important factor in leakage. There is a specific age of each roof, over time they lose their strength to hold things longer and get damaged quickly. For instance, Asphalt shingles can last up to 20 to 30 years. With time they lost their effectiveness and caused water to seep in, till the time a new roof was installed. So make sure to inspect your roof after a specific time without delaying it.
10 Apparent Signs Of A Roof Leaks
- If your roofs have damaged or missing shingles, you may notice patches on the roof where shingles are missing, You also notice water stains on the ceiling or damp spots in the attic that occur due to roof leakage.
- Due to clogged gutter, you inspect sagging or plant growth within them - a sign of a permanent blockage. Additionally, damp walls or ceilings near the edges of the roofs can be a sign of it.
- If you have improper flashing, you may notice water stain spots or unexplained drafts near these flashings that explain something bad has happened with your flashing that resulted in leakage.
- The cracks or worn sealant can result in visible cracks or gaps in the sealant. You may have noticed cracked or peeling off the paint around these areas which can be a sign that sealant is not properly installed.
- The poor roof ventilation signs include noticeable temperature differences between rooms, especially those directly under the roof.
- The clear signs of skylight condensation when there’s no rain outside but still water dripping from it, make sure to moderate the temperature to avoid it.
- An aging roof can show signs like brittle, cracked, or curling shingles and granule loss, visible as bald spots or granules in the gutters. Inside the home, recurring water stains on ceilings or walls and damp spots in the attic can indicate an old, deteriorating roof.
- Due to chimney leakage, you noticed water spots or damps on the walls or ceiling near the chimneys. It indicates that the chimneys have been broken and need inspection.
- The clear signs of pipe boot are visible cracks or splits in the rubber or plastic boot around the roof vents. It says that the pipe boot is not performing well, and needs to be replaced quickly.
- Roof debris is also a main sign of water blockage or water overflow on the different parts of the roof. It indicates that proper maintenance and cleaning of the roof is required otherwise the heavy rain can cause water to seep into the house, and damage its parts.
Conclusion
Protecting your home from water leakage is essential for every homeowner. Most homeowners don’t consider it and pay heavily for it after its serious consequences. Above I mentioned the causes of roof leakage in heavy rain and also mentioned the obvious signs that should not be neglected in any situation. Report this page