If your roof leaks, you’ve got to act fast and call a roof repair specialist the second you notice it, says My Home Improvements MD, Greg Catton.
I got a call the other day from a bloke who said: “I’ve got a leak in my roof!”
I said “Well, if you’ve gotta, you’ve gotta I guess.”
All jokes aside, a leaking roof is a serious matter that has to be dealt with immediately. The sooner you get the roof repaired the better.
Let’s face it, leaking roofs aren’t going to fix themselves, and the problem is only going to get worse.
Over the past 20 years, my team of professional roofing contractors have performed hundreds of leaking roof repairs.
The secret is pinpointing the REAL cause of the roof leak and fixing the problem quickly, before it can do further damage.
With that in mind, let’s look at the possible causes of the leaking roof.
Why your roof is leaking.
Free “Repair, Restore or Replace” eBook
there are more reasons for leaking roofs than you can poke a stick at.
As my old science teacher used to tell me, water will always find its level… and I reckon it will always find a way into your roof. The causes range from broken/ chipped roof tiles and roof sheets lifting to damage caused by storms, strong winds, and hail.
Fortunately, we know exactly how to fix a leaking roof quickly, affordably and with the least amount of stress. Here are the major causes for leaking roofs and what you should do about them. Let’s start with…
Why your metal roof is leaking.
Nails or screws missing.
Because they’re made of metal, nails can rust and lose their heads (something you should never do, no matter how badly your roof is leaking!) Metal screws rarely fail (unless they’re cheap & nasty) but if they weren’t set properly, or screwed in too tightly, they can break off. This can lead to water pooling in the indents and getting in, causing possible:
- Water damage to batons,
- Warped structural timbers and
- Damaged ceilings.
Provided they aren’t badly rusted, we will take the old nails out and re-screw the roof.
Pitted rust
Common in coastal areas, pitted rust will cause deep holes in the sheets of metal – and holes can only mean one thing: roof leaks. If the rust is confined to one section, we can repair your roof, otherwise you’ll be up for a newie.
Rotten Roof Timbers
If water has seeped down into your roof’s framework, the damage may be irreparable. We’ll do our best to save the woodwork, but…
Damp Patches in Ceiling
Often this is the first sign of a water leak. Left unchecked, it could:
- compromise the integrity of the ceiling
- lead to mould and mildew, or
- cause the ceiling to physically fail.
My Home Improvements will assess the situation and let you know if the problem is salvageable, especially if we get to it early enough.
Why your tiled roof is leaking.
Because tiled roofs are usually more expensive that metal roofs, it’s probably more important to look at a roof repair if you have a leaking roof, rather than a replacement. Let’s look at why tiled roof leaks…
Broken or chipped tiles
Caused by flying debris in storms or high wind, or by wear and tear over time (when the binding concrete breaks down), broken tiles are one of the biggest causes of water ingress into your ceiling. We can replace individual tiles, however the older they are, the harder it may be to find an exact colour match.
If the water has damaged the timber in the ceilings, they may need to also be replaced.
Mortar cracking & falling out
The mortar bedding (also called pointing) that glues the ridge caps to the tiles can break apart from movement or age. This can let the rain in, through holes and cracks. To fix existing leaks and prevent new ones happening, we will replace all the mortar.
Loose ridge caps
Similar to problems with mortar, loose ridge caps can also let the water enter your roof causing untold damage. Once again, we will replace all ridge capping to stop your roof leaking.
Leaking Valleys
Your roof’s valley gutters – where two different angles of roof meet – are designed to direct the flow of water off the roof. If the gutters become blocked by slipping tiles or leaves, the water can pool…leading to potential leaks. We will clean the valley, install “Valley Seal” bitumen-impregnated sticky foam to stop the tiles sliding and block the valley…so there’s no more leaks.
Drip Spot Leaks in Ceiling
If you’re noticing water stains in the ceiling in several areas, it could be caused by either Broken tiles or aging Storm Retention clips.
These clips are the little fittings that sit on the underside of the tile in the water course. Rubble builds up in them over the years and sends water side ways out of the water course into the roof. To prevent roof leaks, we will replace the broken tiles and change the clips over to a new style that doesn’t invade the water course.
For more detailed information and expert advice about what to do if your roof is leaking – or to arrange an obligation-free inspection, simply call 07-3808 0700 and speak to a friendly, helpful My Home Improvements team member, or click here to contact us.
