Entering your house on a Lusby, MD, summer day, you breathe a sigh of relief as you step out of the hot sun and into your shaded home. Similarly, you appreciate getting out of the rain or snow and into your heavenly abode. Not only does your roof acts as an umbrella over your home, but it also keeps controlled air in, protecting you in high and low temperature.
Unfortunately, a roof structure breach eliminates these shielding qualities, and the first thing you’ll notice is a roof leak. To learn how to repair a roof leak promptly, our team at Southern Maryland Roofing explains the causes, signs, and step-by-step guide to professional repairs below.
Top Reasons for Roof Leaks
Most roof leaks originate from worn materials that no longer hold up against the natural elements. For one, broken, loose, or missing shingles occur when extreme winds get underneath and unfasten them, or heavy precipitation and humidity cause them to warp. Large objects like tree branches may also fall, causing anything from a small crack to a whole section of missing shingles.
Once the condition of your shingles is in jeopardy, underlying materials, including your home’s wooden structure, come in direct contact with water and other destructive factors. If left alone, your roof begins to concave and weaken, causing water damage, leaks, and more. However, other concerns that lead to shingle roof leaks:
- Split Flashings and valleys: Flashings comprise a water-resistant copper, stainless steel, or aluminum metal material that sits under your shingles, redirecting water. Still, cracks and splits that develop or corrosion alongside unsealed valleys can cause water to trickle across your roof’s seams.
- Obstructed gutter system: gutters and downspouts drainage system is designed to redirect water away from your roof. It also moves leaves, twigs, and other particles floating in the water, which clog the system. This obstruction causes water to pool on your rooftop, weakening the surface.
- Roof rot: On 90-degree Lusby summer days, you crank up your AC just as you increase the heat on 25-degree winter nights. Since your roof feels the temperature difference, fungal growth occurs effortlessly, eating away at your roof’s wooden structure.
Tracing the Signs of a Roof Leak to the Source
Unfortunately, without regular semi-annual maintenance checks, you won’t notice most of these concerns until it’s too late. Prior to determining how to repair a roof leak, look for the signs and the leak’s location.
Before you have a full-blown leak, you’ll notice water stains on your upper floor’s ceiling and interior walls. Water moving through your roof’s structure and insulation will deteriorate your ceiling, but examine where you see the stains. If it’s near your chimney, you may have cracked flashings, while leaks in other areas primarily point to missing shingles or weak spots on your roof.
Outside of water stains, you may notice rotted attic wooden beams or mold and mildew growth. While water may trickle down these beams, pooling indirectly below the source of leaks, you can follow the trickle or water stains to find the leak’s origin points. Other ways to narrow down the possible points of entry when following the steps on how to repair a roof leak include the following:
- Check your rooftop or property to determine if shingles are missing.
- Carefully inspect for attic leaks the next time it rains.
- Examine remaining shingles for weaknesses that allow precipitation below the material.
How to Repair a Shingle Roof Leak
Each roofing problem requires a unique repair solution, but if you’re only repairing a few damaged shingles or a small section, begin by inspecting the entire rooftop like a professional. They carefully lift warped, cupped, shrunken, elevated, or cracked shingles and sweep away debris from your roof’s seams. Afterward, they press new shingles over a fresh layer of roof cement and add granules once the cement dries.
The steps on how to repair a shingle roof leak differ from those of a replacement. When shingles are unrepairable, meaning they’re brittle or completely deteriorated, an expert first pulls out all roofing nails with a pry bar. They then remove and discard the damaged shingles before working from the bottom of your roof upward to secure and reseal new shingles into place.
How to Repair a Leaking Roof — Trust the Pros at Southern Maryland Roofing!
If you’re concerned about how to repair a leaking roof, it’s a possibility that the structure of your rooftop is probably already in dire condition. Rather than wait for more leaks to abound, jeopardizing your roof’s security and structural integrity, call our professionals.
At Southern Maryland Roofing, our #1 team in Lusby, MD, prides itself on the honesty and respect that promotes our five-star reviews. Whether you have shingles or metal roofing, we do everything from washing roofs with garden hoses to replacing material to enhance property value. Call 443-532-3017 for information on how to repair a roof leak and a free estimate today!
