Common Causes of Roof Leaks

Leaking roof can cause expensive damages to your home and your belongings, so to prevent this from happening, it’s important to understand the common causes of roof leaks. There are multiple reasons why you’re experiencing damp and watermarks on the internals of your homes, it might be due to the age of your roof, blocked gutters, broken tiles, missing shingles, cracked flashing and more. To find out what might be the cause of your roof leak, take a read through and turn to the professionals for impartial and expert advice.

Reasons you have a roof leak

• Age – Everything deteriorates over time and with roofing materials, there’s certainly no exception. Your roof is constantly under the stresses of weather, sheltering you from huge downpours, scorching summers, heavy snow and gail force winds – so it’s no surprise that an old roof will have something to do with you experiencing a leak. Day-in day-out exposure to fluctuating temperatures will cause different elements of your roof to breakdown quicker – so it’s only normal that you will need to think about getting a whole new roof after so many years.
• Roof vents – This part of your roof is very important, as it helps air to circulate around your attic – helping to regulate temperature and prevent a buildup of mould – providing the occupants with better, fresher air within the home. If you’ve had particularly bad weather  with heavy wind and rain, it’s likely that the gaskets surrounding the vent pipes have been damaged, allowing water to seep through.
• Shallow slopes – If your slopes on your roof are too shallow, chances are the wind has been able to lift up your roof’s shingles, allowing rainwater easy access into your attic. The slopes of your roof must be pitched of at least 15% – the typical home will have an obtuse angle of around 40° -50°.
• Debris in your gutter – Dirty and blocked guttering will trap rainwater which means the water has nowhere to go other than to seep slowly into your home. Keeping your roof free of twigs, dirt and leaves will enable rainwater to run off your roof with ease.
• Holes – Moving a TV aerial from your roof will leave uncovered holes – so if you’ve recently had it relocated and have noticed water marks, it’s a likely sign you need to have them sealed.
• Broken shingles – You can notice this easily by looking up at your roof – they’re pretty easy to find. Chances are they’ve come off in high winds and you’ve found them littering your front or back garden. Simply have them replaced by a local professional to ensure the material underneath haven’t been torn in the process.
• Excess moisture – Upper roofs that connect to a lower roof can over saturate and cause leaks – it’s always good to extend the downspout to prevent this from happening.
• Cracked flashing – Flashing is located between where two slopes of your roof meet and this is here to seal your home from water damage. Water will run down the flashing and off the roof and over time the caulk can dry out and form cracks, which means water can now get through.
• Cracked chimney – Mortar around a chimney will erode naturally from weathering, so take a look and if you see any loose bits or missing mortar, fill it back in. This could be the root cause of your leak.

Roof leaks can be worrying, so tackle the problem head on by speaking with a local professional who will be able to offer quick and efficient repairs that’ll keep your property well protected. For a first-rate service, call on Stapleford Roofing, we offer free site surveys, free quotations and all work is guaranteed. Contact us today – we operate throughout Beeston, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Nottingham, Hucknall, Stapleford and the surrounding areas.