Leaky Roof: Areas On Your Roof That Are Prone To Leak
Simply put, your roof is the lifeblood of your house. It’s an major financial investment, but more importantly, it’s what keeps you and your family safe from Chicago’s unpredictable weather. No matter if there’s a small amount of water pooling up on your ceiling, or there’s a major hole in your roof that’s impossible to ignore, chances are, a roof leak of any kind is going to be a major frustration for you. The truth is that roof leaks tend to occur is particular locations on your roof, and are often caused by various types of weather conditions. Below are some places where roof leaks are likely to occur.
Different Kinds of Flashing
Even though the very purpose of flashing is to protect against leaks, when they are defective, they can be major targets for water to pass through.
Wall Flashing:
head wall – This flashing exists where a roof stops once it reaches a wall. Head wall flashing must be installed to direct water streaming down the wall, away from the stopping point of the shingles. Head wall may be behind wood siding, or in front of a brick wall. It should extend over the shingles by three inches, at least. If the wall consists of masonry or brick, the flashing ought to bend and extend one inch into a mortar joint.
wall step – While some flashing rests where a roof stops, wall step flashing sits where a roof extends alongside a vertical wall. As each new row of shingles is put down, a step flashing is installed over the shingle next to the wall. Part of the flashing is laid up on the wall, while the other portion becomes covered by the next row of shingles. Look for deterioration and rust on this flashing. You should only be able to see a small portion of it stick out.
Vent Flashing:
plumbing vent – The major element of plumbing vent flashing that makes it prone to leakage is its rubber seal. For some reason, the rubber seems to only be durable for about 10-15 years. So, it’s important to keep an eye out for cracking rubber around your plumbing pipe. This flashing should shoot up and under the shingles that go up the roof from the center of the plumbing vent. The bottom half of the flashing should be exposed, and actually blanket the entirety of the shingles.
“b-vent” – The distinguishing factor of b-vent flashing from regular plumbing vent flashing is that it often comes equip with a metal storm collar. The storm collar fits securely around the vertical pipe, but if it’s loosened, a leaking roof can easily occur.
Chimneys
Chimneys contain various types of flashing, and if there is a deficiency with its flashing, a leak is likely to happen. Even the smallest crack above the flashing can allow lots of water to run behind it. Look for soldered corners of your flashing that might have been broken, or have holes.
Asphalt Shingles
Vertical slits - Vertical slits between shingles are the first places you should look for corrosion that might be causing a leak. Particularly in 3 tab asphalt shingles, it is not uncommon for leaks to develop in the top 3 inches of each vertical slit.
Missing granules – These ceramic, color coated pieces of crushed rock protect the asphalt from the destructive ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. When they are over exposed to sunlight, the asphalt within the shingle begins to corrode. However, granule erosion in the vertical slit areatends to happen when water drips from the shingle above. Since this is a small area it’s difficult for the sun evaporate any moisture. The granules at the top of each slit receive twice as much energy from the dripping water as the granules on either side of the slit. This might not seem like it would do all that much harm, but over long periods of time, roof leaks due to this are not out of the ordinary.
Wood Shingles
Wood shingles can last anywhere from 15-40 years, but if your roof doesn’t have a steep slope, that Chicago humidity will surely do a number on the wood. Wind and rain can erode your shingles and cause them to lift from your roof. Also, mold and mildew can build up on wood shingles over time, causing them to decay.
Roof Valleys
If you don’t want a leaking roof to occur in your roof valleys, the best thing you can do is to trim your shingles correctly. Typically, when you trim a shingle for a valley you end up with a rough point on the end of the shingle. If a second cut is not done to make this point straight, water can makes its way along the top of the shingle, and leak into your home.
Skylights
Skylights can be a great bonus to any home, but a negative factor is that because they interrupt the continuous roof surface, they are a common contributor of leaking roofs. Water flows down a pitched roof (or immediately collects on a flat roof), builds up in the skylight, and eventually finds a place around the flashing where it seeps inside, and onto your head.
No matter if you want to learn more about places your roof might leak, or if you’re interested in a repair for your leaking roof, don’t hesitate to contact Champion Roofing, your north side Chicago area roofing professionals!
