Your roof is one of the most important elements of your home. It is crucial that it remains on the top of the list of items that need to be regularly maintained. Your roof helps to protect your home from the elements. It keeps the warm heat in during the cold winter months and the brisk air in during the hot months of summer. Damage to the homes roof should immediately be repaired to avoid having to later replace the entire roof or worse yet damage to the structural integrity of the home itself.
When a home experiences a leak in the roof the root of the issue isn’t always easily narrowed in on. There are a few common problems to look for if you notice a leak in your homes roof.
Missing Shingles
No matter what material your roof is made from it is susceptible to damage during inclement weather. Shingling that blows off your homes roof leaves underlayment exposed. If left exposed to the elements the underlayment material will quickly deteriorate and cause water leakage.
Issues with Pipe Flashing
There are several vent pipes that sit directly underneath your roof material. Most often these vents are sealed well but occasionally corrosion occurs or the sealant is damaged and allows for a leak to occur.
Skylight and Chimney Flashing
The flashing around your chimney can leak if it becomes pulled away from the roof or if perhaps the sealant becomes worn. Skylight leaks require a bit more troubleshooting as sometimes the leaks that occur are because of condensation. Other times however, a leak may occur because of a crack in the skylight or worn out seal.
Valleys
The little gutters that run down the interior angles of your roof line are known as valleys. When the little gutter flashings are damaged by weather, fungus or are improperly maintained they can lift away from the roofing and allow water to seep through the channel and into the home. It is crucial to make sure that these valleys are properly cared for and kept intact to avoid leaks.
Ice Dams
During the winter months it is common to have snow melt and refreeze on the roof. When this happens and ice dam occurs that does not allow the water to runoff into the gutter. The water is then left backing up under the shingles and the process of freezing and refreezing is allowed to continue causing damage to the underlayment of the roofing.
If at any time you notice the above damage occurring within your homes roof it is time to call in a professional roof contractor to repair the damaged area. The cost of repairing a roof is significantly lower than the cost of replacing a roof hence it is far more cost effective to preserve the roofs integrity for as long as possible.
Home Pro Roofing contractors offer a variety of roofing services throughout Brighton, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Fenton and Commerce Township, including installation of shingle roofs, metal roofing and roof repairs. You will find them at http://www.homeproroofingmi.com today.