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If you have ever tried to
head up into the attic to locate a roof leak, you probably
encountered a common problem. Although many such leaks occur within
the field of shingles or shakes, many hide in places you simply
cannot find from inside the house. Many of the most common include
flashings, those architectural features designed to join roofing to
the other parts of your home. Of course they may also be located
within skylights, chimneys or ice dams, making it difficult to
eliminate anything right off the bat.
The good news is that water is a substance without intent or
cognition, meaning you can usually make sense of its path with a
little rudimentary thought. Follow the grade of gravity and try to
imagine where it will flow and it’s often easier than you think to
backtrack from a visible water source. Many experts recommend paying
careful attention to rafters and exposed pipes as well, as any of
these can “carry” water significant distances without appearing wet
to the untrained eye. A little detective work can go a long way to
toward better-informed predictions, saving you considerable time and
frustration in the process.
Roof leaks can also be inferred a number of ways. If you live in an
area with sporadic rain, lengthy dry periods may actually provide an
excellent opportunity to look for the telltale signs of
discoloration that may indicate mildew. Darkened ceiling tiles,
moldy corners and damp insulation may remain for weeks following a
significant storm, offering you something like a roadmap to the
source of the leak. You may also want to pay particular attention to
material intersections such as dormers that may be hiding conduits
for water just out of sight.
That said, the most reliable way to locate a roof leak is also the
most intuitive – with water. Checking during a storm will do little
to isolate the problem, but you may be able to mimic its effect with
a simple garden hose. Secure yourself safely to the roof and be sure
to wear proper apparel for this kind of experiment, however –
roofing materials are often designed expressly to grow slick with
rain. Start at the outer edges of your roof and be systematic about
the order in which you provide coverage. The last thing you want to
do is point the water toward the roof’s apex, as gravity will
quickly render that experiment useless! Move up slowly and in
sections, being careful to give each test time to seep into your
home.
Barring the effects of a major storm, your most likely culprit will
be the roof flashings. These come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes
and functions, with different designs and materials dedicated to
each type of roofing intersection. Although plumbing vent flashings
are the most common source of leaks, you may be able to make further
progress with a close examination of the furnace flashings and wall
step flashings as well. It’s not uncommon for repairs or poor
craftsmanship to leave such openings unprotected from the elements,
creating the perfect conditions for a chronic and mysterious leak.
The good news is that most roof leaks can be repaired quickly and
inexpensively. Depending on the source of the problem and how much
you want to spend, nearly every leak can be plugged, patched or
flashed in a matter of minutes. Check with the hose or wait until
the next rain, and you may be astonished to discover how flawlessly
such piecemeal measures work. That said, if the problem lies in the
shingles themselves and seem to be occurring with increasing
frequency, it may be time to have an inspector out to the home for a
better sense of your options. |
