Roofs are the most important yet overlooked part of your property, and you can’t deny it. As long as the water is not seeping through the walls and ceiling and the entire family is running with buckets and mops, your roof doesn’t do anything to attract your attention.
Now, you are in a situation where the weather forecast not only tells you when it will rain but also reminds you to keep buckets and mops handy to fight against rainwater trickling down from the ceiling. The problem with roof leaks is that they can damage your home and potentially require costly repairs, so it’s important to identify them as soon as possible.
To keep you safe, in this blog, we will discuss the most common areas of roof leaks and how you can protect both the interior and exterior of your home from such leaks.
Causes For Roof Leakage
One of the most critical components of your house is a sound roof. These poor maintenance practices for roofs might cost you a lot of money.
1: Improper product selection
It’s not only a matter of choosing low-quality materials when erecting a roof or using shingles. Your roof may be more vulnerable to damage if a false nail or glue is used. Additionally, the pitch of your roof affects how your roofing is installed.
Low-pitch tiled roofs are more vulnerable to the weather, especially strong winds and rain. Because of this, several manufacturers advise leaving fewer gaps between tiles and using more fasteners for increased security.
2: Improper Screw Fittings
One of the most common causes of roof leakage is improper screw tightening during roofing installation.If the screws are properly fastened, it may make the difference between a roof that leaks and one that can withstand significant rains without leaking.
There might be a lot of screw penetrations in your roof. Often, screws are either too tight or too loose, or they are not put in straight. Points of leakage are created by this incorrect screw tightening.
3: Improper Purlin Distance
Purlin is reinforced once the roof sheets are ready for installation. By ensuring that everything stays in its proper place and by adding structural strength, the purlin structure aids in shifting part of the loads that are placed on the metal sheets to the main building construction.
Purlin spacing on a roof must be done precisely and within certain tolerances. If you don’t, there’s a possibility that you’ll damage the roofing sheets, leading to roof leaks.
4: Patching or Overlapping Rather Than Replacing
Choosing a patch rather than a complete replacement may save you money upfront, but will cost you more in the foreseeable future.
A patch alone can only last for about five years before it starts to deteriorate and needs to be replaced. By then, your home has likely suffered enough wear and tear that it’s no longer safe to live in and will have become quite expensive to repair or replace.
A complete replacement of your roof is an investment that pays off over time by ensuring your home is safe from weather damage and preventing further deterioration of the roof itself.
5: Poor Maintenance of the Roof
Roofs protect your home from the elements and provide a comfortable living environment. However, it has become apparent that roofs are only sometimes maintained properly, leading to serious problems such as leaks, damage, and even structural collapse.
The 5 Most Common Roof Leak Locations
Leakage can be found in any place on the roof, but here is a list of the 5 most leakage-prone areas. So, if water is seeping into your room when it rains outside, it is high time you go and check these areas.
1: Broken Roofing Material
One of the most obvious signs that your roof has leaks is if you notice missing shingles on your roof or broken shingles in your yard after a storm. Older roofs are more likely to encounter this issue than newer ones, so if your roof is losing shingles, you could need a new one.
A roofing expert should be able to swiftly replace the lost shingles, making your roof as good as new if the rest of the roof’s structural integrity is sound.
2: Around the Chimney
If you don’t see any obvious signs of damage on this side of the roof, then it might be time to take a closer look around your chimney. It’s because chimneys are usually made of metal and, therefore, more susceptible to corrosion than other parts of the house. When this happens, rainwater can get trapped inside and damage your home’s structure over time.
3: Inadequately Fitted Skylights
From lighting up the interior with more natural lights to gazing at stars at night while lying on your bed, skylights are a popular choice for modern house owners. But this beautiful experience can turn into a nightmare in no time if it starts leaking. Improperly installed skylights can damage the water barrier, allowing water to drip down the side and damage the rubber seal surrounding the glass.
4: Damaged Flashing
Your roof uses a variety of flashings, and any one of those could be the reason for your roof leak. Roofers frequently use tar to keep the flashing together, which might deteriorate over time. If your flash is left outside, weather conditions like wind and rain may cause it to shatter.
Your leak may come from the flashing if you notice any rust, wear, or holes. Vent flashing combines an aluminium flashing with a rubber seal, and the rubber can degrade in as little as ten years. Rubber that is cracked can be an indication of a leak.
5: Around the Pipes and Vents
The roof is a complex network of pipes, vents, and drains vulnerable to leaks. These leaks can be caused by tree branches or other debris falling into the system, or the building’s structure itself can cause them.
To prevent these leaks, you should look for areas where water is pooling on the ground surface. These areas could indicate that there is an issue with your roof.
How to Protect Your Roof from Leaks
Water leakage from a roof is a common issue. It can happen due to natural calamities, such as heavy rain, but it can also occur due to human negligence. For example, if you have not properly maintained your roof, it may be susceptible to leakage.
1: Install metal sheets
You must install metal sheets on top of your roof to prevent leaks. Metal sheets are made of steel and iron and are available in different sizes. These sheets can cover the roof and prevent water from entering the house through cracks caused by heavy rains.
Using these sheets effectively will help protect your home from any leakage due to natural calamities or human negligence.
2: Use polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is one of the best materials you can use to protect your roof from leaks. It’s strong, lightweight, and easy to work with.
These sheets have multiple overlapping layers to form a barrier between the roof and the rest of the house. They’re also waterproof, so they prevent water damage inside your home as well. It can be used in various ways and offers several different protection levels.
Polycarbonate protects roofs from snow, ice, rain, and other weather conditions that would otherwise damage them over time. This means you won’t have to worry about getting water inside your home or business if there’s an unexpected downpour or snowfall.
3: Timeline Sheets
If you want to keep your roof from leaking, it’s important to protect it. Onduline sheets are the best way to accomplish this.
Onduline sheets are thin, flexible polyethylene sheets that are strong enough to withstand heavy rain without tearing or breaking when placed on top of other materials such as asphalt or shingles.
They can be attached to the roof via staples or screws and are designed to prevent water from running down your house and into the ground, which is a common problem for homes in areas with high rainfall.
4: Keep Your Roof Clean
Check your roof regularly. This will help you take care of any problems before they worsen. Ensure that your roof has been properly maintained; this means checking for signs of wear and tear every month or so.
Rinse any dirt or debris from the roof with a hose or garden hose. Ensure that you have good drainage around your home by removing or installing a rain screen around any leaks or areas where water could pool in heavy rains. Use a pressure washer to remove any leaves that may have fallen onto your roof.
Conclusion
Leakage is a situation where water leaks through the seams of your roof. Several factors, such as poor-quality materials, poor installation, or poor maintenance, can cause it. We have shared five roof areas that require extra attention to protect your roof from leaking.
But if your roof has already started leaking, don’t wait another day to call a professional, and if you are in Bangalore, ReZa’s professional can help you come out of the situation. Contact us today!
