There are many things that can cause damage or leaks in your roof. Depending on the type of roof material used, some are more difficult to detect than others. The following are the seven most common ones we see.
Field of Shingles
The most common roof problem we see is with the field of shingles itself. Blowoffs , pooling water, shrinking field membranes all contribute to leaks in the roof field.
Valleys
The valleys in your roof act as little river valleys on your roof. The water accumulates more and this larger quantity of fast-moving water can really cause damage, especially in improperly installed roofs.
Head Wall Flashing
A head wall is where your roof slopes down until it meets the flat face of a wall. Rainwater comes to a near complete stop here and pools before continuing off the roof. In this situation, even small chinks can let water in. These can be difficult to identify, yet cause a great deal of damage.
Wall Step Flashing
A wall step is similar to a head wall in that the roof is meeting a wall. However, the wall step is the slope that runs alongside a wall, such as you might find on the side of a gable. Poorly installed or damaged flashing on a wall step can, not only allow leaks, but those leaks on the roof can cause interior drips that are far from the original leak, making the leak hard to identify.
Chimneys
Chimneys are particular danger zones for roof problems. Unless they are on the peak they have both head walls and wall steps. Plus, chimneys can buckle or sag creating gaps in the flashing. This is especially true on older chimneys.
Plumbing Vent Flashing
Your plumbing vents add a unique challenge for a roofer. Because they are round, it’s easy for poor roofers to leave gaps. Leaks from plumbing vents are especially dangerous to the home owner as they don’t always drip noticeably. Often leaks in the flashing around a plumbing vent will run down the plumbing, soaking into wood and drywall, only to be noticed when someone comes across the rotting wood.
Miscellaneous Roof Problems
There are also a variety of miscellaneous roof problems that we see from time to time. Satellite sway can cause damage to the roof around the mounts, tree branches touching and brushing against your roof can cause roof problems, even the wind blowing against your ridge vent can damage your roof.
There are many other roof problems you might encounter. If you suspect your roof might be damaged in any of these common ways, call us and we can inspect your roof for you.
