A leaking roof can be a significant problem causing home interior issues, such as damaged floors and wet attic insulation. Therefore, you should not ignore a roof leak if you want to maintain your home in the best shape for many years.
Unfortunately, many people hesitate to get a roof fixed because it is a labor-intensive project that can be overwhelming. However, it is worth looking into because of the significant payoff if you want to preserve your property’s value.
Here are three solutions to fix a leaking roof and why you should never neglect the damage.
1. Locating Source of Leaking Roof
The first step is to locate where the leak is coming from, like a stain on your ceiling. With a safe ladder and a torch, you should access your attic and visually follow a vertical line up towards the roof.
The leak can start a few feet higher along the roofline to the roof ridge. Then the leak’s location may be on the bottom of your roof deck, which may be stained with a white or black spot surrounded by mildew.
Your roof vents can also be a key source of leaks. These include plumbing soil stack pipes, turbines, and attic fans. Alternatively, check for the roof leak if there is plywood damage on the roof decking or sheathing.
If your leaking roof stems from vents, you should return to the top of your roof and check the vents’ condition. For example, their housings may have a crack, or the vents may be dislodged because the nails do not hold them in place anymore.
2. Remove Roof Damage Vents
When you are at the top of the roof, you will need to remove the damaged vent. This can be done using a handy pry bar to remove all the nails that hold your shingles to the vent.
Then you need to carefully pull back the shingles covering the base of your vent with the pry bar. Focus on yanking out the nails that hold your vent to the roof deck. This should be enough to take out the vent.
3. Check Your Roof Cladding
Roof cladding is a layer of material that makes the outer surface of your roof. This material should be weatherproof, durable, and fireproof. If your roof is leaking heavily, you may need recladding renovations. This is necessary if you want efficient insulation against both noise and temperature changes.
Call a Professional
Fixing a leaking roof is no ordinary task. This is a labor-intensive and complex problem, especially if you cannot figure out what is causing the leak. If your roof is leaking, you will need many components to accurately coordinate where the leak is coming from and how to plug it in time before it damages your interiors.
This job requires hauling and climbing, which is not practical if you are elderly and living independently. It is always best to phone an expert if you feel unsafe working on roof problems. If you enjoyed reading these roofing tips, check out some of our other articles for more information.
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