Carry your roof checked regularly for leaks.
Appreciate the signs of a leaking roof to cause early repairs, avoid a goodly payment for a advanced roof and prevent costly saturate damage to your internal. According to the Public Roofing Contractors Gathering (NRCA), well-maintained roofs ultimate encircling 20 senility before requiring replacement. The NRCA recommends a roof inspection every other year during the spring.
To inspect provided your roof has any holes which compulsion repair, enter the Garret, turn off all interior lights (while standing in a protected address) and see for telltale flare spots. Pick a sunny date (for maximum contrast) to behold where any rays of sunlight penetrate the roof. Where they enter, drizzle Testament, further. Inadequate amounts of flare coming in do not indicate a problem for homeowners with wooden "shake" roofs, unless it's a very large hole, because the tiles making up wooden shake roofs swell in wet months to shut small gaps in the roof.
Case for these signs on all sides of vents, under skylights and consequent to chimneys. Not all atramentous spots show a now leak. Effort scraping the dingy spot with a Spike. Provided it's dry and firm, the spot is the arrangement of an full of years leak (which has already been repaired); whether wet and soft, the leak is happening and requires repair.
Holes in the Roof
Holes in the roof are a capital indication of a leak.
Damage to Wood Rafters
Signs indicating the wood supporting your roof has been damaged by a leak count the presence of dark spots on any wooden beams. Using a flashlight, search your Garret for suspicious patches of discolouration. If high winds blow tree branches against your roof, consider removing tree branches which overhang the house, and dead branches from trees close by, before winter (typically the harshest season for roofs). This prevents small holes and cracked tiles caused by debris blown onto the roof.
Stains and Sagging Ceilings
Water stains and sagging areas on interior room ceilings are common signs of a leaking roof. To locate the leak, first look in the area of the roof directly above the damage. Signs of the leak visible from the outside of your home include missing, cracked and buckled roofing materials. Interior signs of leaks are mold, wet insulation materials and dark spots on wood. If the damage arising from a leak seems a long way from a cause (e.g., a cracked tile), track the path any water has taken from the leak to the damage to ensure all problems along this path are fixed. Any roof fixtures above the stains, such as chimneys and vents, are prime suspects for causing leaks, since the sealing (known as flashing) around them is vulnerable to damage from harsh weather conditions. If no leaks are found after a thorough interior and exterior examination, check the humidity of the attic. The other explanation for these signs is poor roof space ventilation, resulting in condensation.
