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Roof leaks are insidious. They start small and may even go on for months before they make themselves known by water dripping into your living spaces. If a roof leak is left untreated and unrepaired it can cause considerable damage to your home. The culprits are rotten decking, gaps or damage around chimneys or skylights, damaged or missing shingles. Preventive measures are the best way to avoid a roof leak. Take time to routinely inspect your roof, especially following a storm or high wind event.
Here are three ways Florida roofing contractors check for potential roof leak areas:
- Any roofer will tell you that storms are the reasons most roofs sustain damage. Following a storm, take the time to go out and do a visual inspection of your roof; if you don’t want to, or can’t climb to the top of the roof, call in a roofing professional to do an inspection for you. You will need to look for loose shingles, they may be scattered around your yard, or they may just be hanging by a nail on the roof. Checking the downspouts and clearing them of debris should be done following a storm as well.
- Your attic should be given a once over. Head to the attic when it starts raining. It’s best to do this when it’s dark, and use a flashlight because dripping water will capture and reflect the beam of the flashlight, making it easier to find any wet spots. If you see water, make a note of, or even mark a spot on the roof where the water is coming in so it can be fixed once the storm has passed.
- Look up. Before, during and after storms, look up at your ceilings to see if you spot any telltale discolorations or even all out leaks. Brown or yellow stains, even if the water hasn’t begun dripping onto the floor, indicate a roof leak. A leak that has made it through the roof and is inching its way through the ceilings could be causing damage that is not visible to the naked eye and will likely require the talents and skills of a roofing contractor.
A professionally installed roof is your best bet to remain leak-free, but roof wear-out and weather takes its toll. It’s up to the homeowner to make note of any changes he sees.
