6 Signs You May Have A Leak

7/5/2016 (Permalink)

If your roof is leaking, it has the ability to cause significant damage to your home. As the water comes through the roof and attic, it will cause damage to your ceiling and walls. If the leak is not immediately addressed, it can cause problems to other parts of your house such as the floors and furniture. The key to avoiding this damage is through prevention and the way to prevent this damage is by being able to tell the signs that you may have a leak or may be in danger of a potential leak. Here are some signs to look out for to ensure that you don’t have a roof leak.

Missing or Damaged Shingles

You know you have a problem that must be addressed if you have missing or damaged shingles. This becomes an obvious point of entry for water as it is able to easily slip past these protective shingles and enter your home through the attic. Once it gets through the shingles, it has the ability to rot the wood sheathing underneath. To ensure that you don’t have any missing or damaged shingles that may be a potential problem, you should periodically inspect your roof. If any shingles are in need of replacement, do so as soon as possible to avoid any potential water damage down the road.

Flashing

Flashing is a weatherproofing mechanism in which the material, usually metal, covers joints of the roof where otherwise water would be able to come through. Due to the fact that flashing is specifically for keeping water from getting through the roof, problems with the flashing is a common source of leaks. While you’re inspecting your roof for any damaged or missing shingles, look for any corroded spots, small holes, or signs of rust that may be affecting the flashing on your roof. Also, check that the flashing is not coming loose as this is another problem that can allow water into the home.

Ceiling

Considering that most water damage coming from the outside will come through the roof, the ceiling is often the first visible sign of a leak. Sagging, bubbles, or soft places are tell-tale signs that there is water in the ceiling so if these appear on your ceiling, you should investigate to see if there’s a leak that needs to be addressed. Another problem you might notice is peeling paint or discolored paint. If any of these signs occur on your ceiling due to a leak, it needs to be addressed immediately as delaying fixing it can result in it worsening and causing more problems such as mold or additional damage.

Walls

Like the ceiling, water that’s inside the walls may be very noticeable due to peeling paint or discolored paint. Also, like with the ceiling, this has the potential to result in other problems such as mold or additional damage if it’s not addressed immediately when noticed. Other signs that there may be a water leak in the wall are moisture marks or stains that may appear gray, yellow, or brown. If drywall is coming undone, that’s a revealing sign that there’s water in the wall.

Attic

If you have an attic, it will be the area most susceptible to water damage if there is a problem with the roof such as flashing issues or damaged shingles. If you go up into the attic, it will be obvious if there’s a leak as you’ll see discolorations, water stains, or moldy area within the attic. Given that most people use an attic as a storage space, those possessions are obviously in danger of being damaged by the water. But that water can also come through the ceiling and get into the walls causing more problems such as mold which can be hazardous for occupants of the house.

Leaks in the roof are a main cause of water damage in homes. If there’s a problem with the flashing or shingles on the roof, water will easily penetrate your home resulting in issues such as extensive damage and mold. To avoid such problems, you should always be on the lookout for potential problems in your home. If you suffer from water damage in your home, call the professionals at SERVPRO to remediate the situation.