Roof leaks are known to present different challenges for homeowners. You never know when they will occur and they can easily give rise to considerable damage to your home. Determining the source of a roof leak can often turn out to be even greater challenge. This is due to the fact that the source of a roof leak on the outer part of your home seldom matches the leaking spot inside your home, which can be quite frustrating for those attempting to fix the leak. With this in mind, here are several tips that can help you locate roof leaks.
Conditions for Roof Detection
There are several contributing factors regarding roof leaks and they are not invariably the result of a single specific issue with your roof, so roof detection is basically the process of elimination. Naturally, it is best if you can see a leak as it occurs, but this can help trace it to the original source instead of depending solely on the its remnants, such as a stain on the ceiling. Although you can use stains to locate roof leaks, they often fail to reveal the whole story behind the leak.
In order to see a leak occurring, you have to trace when it rains or snows. In case this isn’t possible, however, you may need to carry out a water test on the surface of your roof by saturating the suspicious area with a hose until the leak occurs inside your home.
The Course of Action
You should start by confirming that the source of water inside your home is the result of a roof leak and not associated with some other components of your home, such as plumbing, HVAC, roof drains, roof scuppers, as well as condensation. Once you’ve confirmed that a roof related issue caused the leak, measure the exact location of the leak from two fixed points (a fireplace chimney, perpendicular exterior walls, or other components extending from the ceiling to the roof surface or attic space.
Now go into the attic check the underside of the roof deck for the leak source using the previously taken measurements. Inspect the active leak and the surface where it is dripping from. The actual entry point of water into the attic space will not always be located on the spot where the leak is showing inside your home, meaning that you might need to expand the search area within the attic.
When applying the taken measurements, you should adjust them to take into account the depth of the soffit overhangs and exterior bearing walls if you based the measurements on the location of exterior walls. As you inspect the roof, bear in mind that any opening in your roof system can allow water to enter your home.
Effective Roof Leak Repair
Determining the cause of the leak is essential for conducting an effective repair on your roof. In addition to this, you should learn what steps to take and what materials to use before attempting the repair. A roof leak can be costly and if left unattended for too long, especially if the water leaks all over different objects in your home. It can also be extremely dangerous if the water reaches wiring in your roof or electrical appliances.
Author Bio
Lillian Connors is a blogger and home improvement enthusiast ever so keen on doing various DIY projects around her house and passionately writing about them. She is also an online marketing consultant, closely collaborating with a number of companies from all over the globe. You can check her out on G+, Facebook and Twitter.
