Identify And Address Potential Issues To Prevent Roof Leaks Before They Occur.
From the perspective of a homeowner, any references to roof leaks are often made in a general context only. In other words, the specific cause of a leak or the actual source of a leak may be secondary to the fact that the roof has developed a leak, somehow and somewhere, and therefore someone needs to repair it before matters get any worse.
In truth, this may indeed be the scenario when a roof leak already exists – just find and repair the problem, whatever the circumstances, and get it done as quickly as possible. However, having prior knowledge of the most common sources of roof leaks can assist homeowners in terms of:
- Performing regular roof inspections
- Identifying potential leak sources
- Saving unnecessary repair costs
The following are five of the more common sources of roof leaks, in no specific order:
- Skylights
- Chimneys
- Shingles
- Flashing
- Vents/pipes
Furthermore, these sources share common threads or reasons that result in the need for roof leak repair services. These commonalities include:
- Aging
- Flawed installation
- Weather/storm damage
- Effects of thermal expansion
- Sealant/caulking failure
With this depth of knowledge in hand, residential and commercial property owners will be better equipped in terms of where to look for potential roof leaks, and what to look for, when conducting a self-inspection.
With respect to when such roof inspections should be performed, the following are some general guidelines or recommendations:
- Not less than once per year (usually in the fall)
- Before (fall) and after (spring) the most severe weather season (winter)
- After particularly harsh storms – heavy rain, sleet, hail, high winds
- When snow and/or ice accumulation has melted (check the gutters, too)
- If there is the appearance of condensation in the attic
- If energy consumption/bills are higher than previous seasonal averages
- When conditions are safe for climbing a ladder and/or walking on a roof
Identifying and addressing potential roof leak sources will help prevent extensive water damage and expensive roof repair or replacement costs. For residential and commercial property owners who might have some apprehensions about conducting their own roof inspections, perhaps due to uncertainty or matters of personal safety, an assessment by a professional contractor, such as Avenue Road Roofing, may be preferred.
Schedule Roof Leak Repairs Immediately To Avoid Unnecessary Damage Costs
While do-it-yourself roof inspections may be the more economical approach for property owners, this method may also be less detailed and less precise than inspections done by roofing professionals like our team. Although an untrained eye can certainly detect more overt/more obvious issues, there may be no substitute for experience when it comes to recognizing subtle or less apparent sources of possible roof leaks.
Furthermore, backed by over 40 years of residential and commercial roofing experience throughout Toronto and the GTA, we have the expertise to perform any and all necessary roof repair work once the source of any leak has been identified.
Regularly inspecting a roof for possible leaks can help prevent unnecessary damage and/or identify issues in need of immediate repair. If you have a suspected or confirmed leak, call Avenue Road Roofing today at 416-785-5129 or contact us to schedule your roof inspection and to obtain an estimate for any repair work that may be required.
