Here are 5 most common causes of roof leaks

If you constantly face roofing problems and have to attend to them often and again, then you can probably relate to the fact that they consume both money and time.

Regardless of the age of your roof, you never can tell if and when it will need to undergo a repair, whether small or large.

To address roofing issues on time and to avoid more problematic and disastrous situations, here are some causes of roof leaks you should know and watch out for this fall. When you know what to look for, you’ll stand a better chance of catching a fault on time and fixing it early.

Attic Condensation

Two major signs of a leak in your attic are the growths of mildew and mold. Apart from these growths in the space, you should also check if the attic smells weird or has a musty odor. A strong odor might be a sign that water has entered your attic and that spells trouble for your home if it is not attended to on time.

Your attic is the highest point in the home, and temperature is often a weird thing when related to the attic. For instance, your attic can be stuck somewhere between the temperature outside and the one inside your home. During extreme weather situations, it is common that condensation would form in your attic, and it should be checked.

Broken Shingles

Harsh weather can harm your shingles and cause damage to it. Broken shingles are the most common sign of damage, and they are often easy to locate when you inspect your roof.

Shingles lie on the outer layer of your roof so you can easily identify any missing or damaged ones by identifying different-colored patches. You might even find some shingles littered around your yard in the case of a major storm that pulls them out of place.

Blocked/Clogged Gutters

One telltale sign that your gutters might be clogged is that you might find leaves and branches shooting out of the roof’s gutter. Another thing to look out for is the absence of water flowing through the downspout during rainfall.

The primary function of your gutter is to direct water away from your roof, thereby protecting your roof from water damage. However, when these gutters get blocked, they prevent water from moving along the lines that it should. The resultant effect of that blockage is that rainwater will store up on one part of the roof and that storage will increase the possibility of water seeping through the cracks.

Cracked Flashing

For better understanding, flashing refers to the pieces of metal that lie under the shingles and atop your roof joints. Flashings are thin in appearance and they look like long-running metal sheets. When they are concealed, flashings have a rubber coating over their top.

One way to know if your flashing has cracked or broken is that you’ll notice that the rubber coatings have cracked. These cracks can be caused by several things and situations, including weather conditions like rain and wind.

The Excessive Use of Your Roof

This point is quite tricky because there is no rule book that specifies what qualifies as excessive use of your roof. So, it is hard to tell whether or not you are using the roof too much, as well as how much use causes leakage.

However, avoid climbing on your roof too much because it is potentially dangerous for you and your roof structure.

The materials used for making roofs are rather fragile, especially if they have already been cracked. If you step on a roof element or seal that is already cracked, you will cause more damage.

Protect your roof from damage by engaging the services of an experienced roofing team that will inspect your roof and protects your home from damage.

Conclusively, there are several possible reasons for a leaking roof, but the list above talks about the most common causes. Bear in mind that sometimes, you might be unable to identify the cause no matter how much you observe. In such a situation, we will inspect your roof and solve any issues that might have arisen.