Created on:
July 22, 2016
Roof leaks in Melbourne are problems every homeowner fears. You'll have to use drip buckets to prevent your house from flooding and also hope that the rainy season never comes. In Melbourne, where there's quite some downpour, this means a truckload of money and time will be invested in corrective roof repairs.
Instead of managing the condition of your roof when the worst happens, wouldn't you want to know what caused the roof leak and how you can avoid them?
In this blog, we'll discuss the most common causes of a leaking roof and the preventive measures you need to take.
Dive in!
Cracked Flashings: Flashings are the metal pieces used as water barriers on your roof. They are installed just below shingles and can get damaged by bad weather. Since they are fixed using tar, flashings also corrode after a while. So, if your roof leak is pretty bad, it is likely that you've got a large crack in your flashings.
To prevent cracked flashings, you should inspect your flashings every spring. If you notice gaps or thin spots on them, you should consider getting them replaced as quickly as possible.
Broken Shingles: Broken shingles are easier to spot and carry out repairs on when you've got a leaking roof. All you have to do is look up.
Shingles are the exterior part of your roofs. So, if you see a different colour of roof patch on inspection, it means your shingles are broken. Just like cracked flashings, torrential rains and high winds can break your shingles, which will likely lead to roof leaks.
If you want to prevent this cause of leaking roofs, then make sure you use quality shingles. Also, only allow qualified and trained experts to install them on your roofs using quality roofing sealants.
Poorly sealed valleys: Poorly sealed valleys are another cause of leaks that'll require you to undertake a full roof restoration if not quickly repaired. A valley is a spot where the two roof slopes meet. So, if they aren't properly sealed, water can get into your home.
To avoid this problem, you must ensure that you get the best roofing experts to work on your home. They'll know how to properly seal your valleys so that you don't have to worry about roof leaks all the time.
Cracked Vents: Roof vents are used to remove excess moisture from homes. They are those small pipe-looking structures that stick out of a roof. Roof vents get cracked due to bad weather. However, their rubber tubing and flashing pieces can wear out, causing roof leaks in homes.
A cracked vent is easy to spot because they'll have mould spots around them. So, if you want to avoid this common roof issue, you've got to inspect the cracked vents regularly and replace the seal and rubber boot.
Clogged gutters: The gutters we're talking about here are the slightly open pipes that run along the sides of the roof. Gutters help to expel water from the roof, so when they get clogged, that flow stops. Rainwater then accumulates at an area on the roof, which makes it easier for it to pass through roof cracks and leak into your home.
To prevent this cause of roof leaks, you've got to inspect and unclog your gutters frequently. Even though you can get most of this job done by yourself, it is best to leave it to the professionals who are skilled in handling these issues.
