Your roof is the main player in protecting your home from the weather. Every player can get injured, which is why you may end up precariously placing buckets under leaking spots of your ceiling. The first step in fixing a problem is finding out its cause. If you find yourself with a leaky roof, these are some common reasons behind it.
Broken Shingles
This one is pretty easy to spot. Take a walk outside, and see if there are missing shingles on your roof. If there are, that’s where rain and snow are getting into your home. Shingles can get ripped up by heavy winds or rain, so you should check your roof for damage after any big storms. Luckily, broken shingles are relatively easy to fix.
Clogged Gutters
Clogged gutters are often another cause of roof leaks. This buildup of grime and debris can lead to a buildup of water that has nowhere to go. It’s first destination might be inside your home, which exactly where it shouldn’t go. A Gutter Helmet can fix that issue entirely!
Improperly Sealed Valleys
A valley is the spot where two planes of your roof come together. Since they’re sloped, rainwater can easily seep into your home through an improperly sealed valley. This damage is usually caused by improper installation or erosion.
Cracked Vent Booting
Vents are the objects that look like pipes sticking out of your roof and are used to rid your home of moisture. If the flashing around them breaks or your roof decays, your roof can leak. You’ll be able to tell if this is the problem since vent leaks leave dark, musty spots.
Improperly Installed Skylights
If the sides of your skylight need buckets placed under them, they were not installed the right way. However, if the leaks are near the top of your skylight, you may have a flashing issue.
Too Much Movement
Too much movement on your roof is definitely a cause of roof leaks as well. With regard to the ‘less is more’ notion, don’t spend too much time up there. The more weight and movement caused on your roof can only lead to future problems. Leave the Frisbee up there and let the weather bring it down — You’ll thank us later.
Leaky roofs can also be a result of improper drainage caused by clogged gutters. Keystone Gutter Helmet can install our patented gutter protection system to keep debris out of your gutters and keep water flowing away from your home. For more information, visit our website, or call us at 610-372-4383.
