What You Need to Know About Roof Leaks

Roof leaks can cause significant problems in your home. If left unchecked, they can result in damage to the drywall in your roof, or to areas on which the leaks spill, including floors and furniture. But even beyond these problems, they are simply a nuisance—you shouldn’t have to go running for buckets every time it rains.

But what exactly causes these roof leaks in the first place? Here are a few examples of some common causes of roof leaks and what a roofing company in New Bern, NC thinks you should know about them:

• Cracked or otherwise damaged flashing: Flashing is the thin pieces of metal that get installed underneath the shingles and on roof joints, which make a water-resistant barrier. Flashing can either be exposed or concealed. It usually gets damaged because the tar used to seal it corrodes over time, though some exposed flashing can be susceptible to the elements. The best solution here is to put in new flashing runs and reseal the nail heads in the area.
• Shingle damage: Usually it’s pretty easy to tell if you have sustained shingle damage on your roof. Missing shingles are going to be the most obvious symptom here, but you might also see shingles starting to lift up and off the roof. Usually you can fix this problem by replacing the damaged shingles with new ones.
• Ice dam buildup: While we don’t get the same amount of snow and ice here in North Carolina that they do in more northern states, the ice can still be a factor in the winter. Ice dams are ridges of ice that form along the roof’s edge and prevent snow from melting and draining off. The weight of the ice builds up and can cause damage to the roof. The best way to prevent this from happening is to treat ice dams with ice melt products, or regularly remove snow from along roof edges.
• Lack of sealing in the valleys: Valleys are the parts on your roof where two planes of the roof meet, typically in sloped areas. If there is not proper sealing in the valleys, rainwater can get inside the valleys and underneath the shingles. It could be that the sealing was not performed properly, or that it cracked over time. You should only have a professional take care of resealing these valleys.
• Clogged gutters: Gutters are designed to keep water away from the roof. If you have a blockage or clog in the gutters, the flow of the water stops. The rainwater then pools in one area of the roof, which means there’s a greater likelihood that it will seek through cracks in that area. The only way to avoid this is to keep your gutters clear. While nobody likes cleaning their gutters, it’s a necessary chore to keep your roofs in good condition. You can also invest in gutter guards.

For more information about roof leaks and their causes, reach out to Dallas Cherry Roofing. Our roofing company in New Bern, NC has been fixing roof leaks for over 20 years, and we look forward to helping you!

Categorised in: Roofing Company

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