One potential cause of a roof leak is an improperly mounted roof attachment.
Just about any type of roof may leak under certain conditions. Moreover, most roofs begin to leak when you least expect it and at very inopportune times. When your roof springs a leak during a storm, don't take a chance on injuring yourself by trying to locate or repair a leak. Wait for the storm to subside before you try to locate the origin of the leak. Does this Spark an idea?
Flashing
Pliable, flat sheets of metal called flashing are the metal sheets you see fastened in roof valleys, at hip joints and around the base of chimneys and vent pipes. These sheets act as a safeguard against water infiltration. Flashing fastens in place above the surface of the roof and under roofing shingles or other types of roof covering. If you install these metal sheets incorrectly, or don't install them at all, damp spots may appear on an outside wall or on surfaces adjacent to chimney and vent pipes.
Downspouts
When leaves and twigs clog a downspout, water from melting ice or rain seeks alternate avenues of escape. The water may back up above the roof gutters, soak its way under roof shingles and eventually saturate the roof sheathing. Water back-up can lead to exterior paint failure and wood rot within the fascia and roof soffit. Chances are you have a clogged gutter when you notice water spilling over the lip of a gutter or continuous dripping from gutter joints.
Eaves
Ice accumulates in and around the eaves of a home or apartment building during the winter months. The heat from the interior of the structure escapes into spaces under the roof and warms the ice that has built up in the eaves. The water from the melting ice is forced back up under the roof shingles and finds its way to the ceilings or walls within the building. Sagging gutters or peeling exterior paint around the eaves is an indication of damage caused by ice-clogged eaves.
Deterioration
Roof surfaces, regardless of pitch or slope, deteriorate the quickest on the side of the roof with southern exposure. This is especially true with wooden shake or shingle coverings. Cracks develop as the deterioration progresses and water from rain and melting ice eventually finds its way through the roof covering and seeps into the interior ceilings of the structure. The best way to determine roof deterioration is by conducting a physical inspection.
Holes
You might have a missing shingle on your roof or a roofing nail may have popped out leaving an empty hole. Water has a way of finding its way around missing shingles and into holes that remain open in the roof. Conditions of this type may lead to wet spots on ceilings within the structure. Check for drip trails, wet spots or shafts of light shining through the roof and into the attic.
Tags: under roof, water from, around eaves, exterior paint, from melting, metal sheets