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Why Is Your Roof Leaking During Heavy Rains

If we are being honest, not a lot of people pay much attention to their roofs at any given time. So naturally, a roof leak heavy rain would be an unpleasant surprise you will have to deal with at some point. It's important to start ahead of the game and ensure your roof is perfect, especially before a wet season begins. But what happens when your roof starts leaking during heavy rains? What could be the cause and how can you remedy the situation?

A Few Factors That Impact Roofing Costs

While there are a myriad of factors that dictate the cost of roof installation or replacement, these are some of the most important.

Chimney

If your house has a chimney, you're more likely to experience leaks than your neighbor without one. Alternatively, it is possible for rain to fall through the chimney, masonry surface, or the angle flashing between the roof and the chimney.

Plumbing

A plumbing setup will include flashing and a vent pipe, and this might increase the likelihood of experiencing leaks. In some cases, you might find the ventilation fan duct is the cause of a leak.

Degraded Shingles

What is the quality of your roofing material and how long has it been up there? Once the longevity of your roofing shingles reaches its limit, the material will start to dry and wear, and eventually, they will be unable to keep anything out. Roof leaks during the heavy rains could be an indication of aged and worn-out shingles.

Skylights

This is a common problem in most households, and it's often a result of gaps in framing, flashing that is installed wrong or damaged, poor insulation that can't keep out the condensation.

Cracks and Corrosion

If your roof is made of a metallic material, you will have to deal with corrosion at one point or the other. Cracks on the surface or corrosion around the fasteners will cause enough damage to allow for leaks. In addition, the seams in a metal roof are prone to damage due to expansion.

Complexity of Roof Layout

Installing a new roof on a cookie-cutter raised ranch home that features two low-sloped planes is child's play for experienced roofers. More elaborate roof layouts such as the ones you'd typically find on Victorian or Craftsman-style homes kick up the difficulty level a notch. Having to flash every valley in a roof before nailing down shingles slows the roofing process and raises costs.

Flat Roof

If your home has a flat roof surface, you are more likely to experience roof leaks during heavy rains. Such leaks are characterized by wet spots on your ceiling or drip marks along the wall. The easiest way you can prevent this is by installing more gutters around the house. Make a point of cleaning them often and repair damaged or leaking gutters.

Also, flat roof homeowners should contact a roofing contractor and ensure that flashing and eaves are in top-notch condition and that the roof is properly sealed to prevent large spaces during expansion and contraction.

What Do You Do To Fix The Situation?

Prevent damage- make sure that leaking water has a container to fall into, and ensure it is large enough to catch splashes. Use a dry cloth to dry up any surfaces that water might have fallen onto. A bucket beneath the leak will definitely save your property from ruin, but that can only hold out for so long.

A leaking roof might be an indicator for bigger underlying issues, and it's crucial to locate where leaks are coming from. Naturally, going up on a roof will yield better results, especially before it dries out. A leaking point tends to be darker compared to the rest of the surface. So if you have one of those cardboard ceilings, water damage will appear in the form of ugly brown stains. If the stains become larger over a rainy period, the leak letting in the water is getting larger. This is one of the signs you need to help locate a leak. You could also:

Investigate a Location You Doubt

It might be hard to locate a roof leak in heavy rain, especially if you are unsure what you are looking for. Most leaks tend to result from a roofing issue, so you might want to start there. Alternatively, they could be a result of AC units or your plumbing setup. If the weather is not harsh, get up on the roof and take a look at the gutters. Are they clogged?

If Your Answer is Affirmative

This might be the reason behind your leak. When water builds up but has nowhere to drain, it tends to seep through the roof. For those with a chimney, take a good look around it and inspect for gaps around the vents, in your flashing, or slopes. These are common culprits that don't necessarily require an expert to fix.

Head up the attic- if your attic is poorly ventilated, then you are more likely to suffer from the results of condensation. Roof leak heavy rain tend to be a result of high humidity levels in your attic. As a result, the walls and roof tend to sweat and become wet.

If this is the problem, reach out to a qualified roof contractor like Up on A Roof to come out and fix it up. If you do not have enough experience with roofing or generally fixing things, it is better to call a roofing expert rather than try something that might backfire later. Poor repairs lead to more damage that might dig deeper into your finances to correct, so you might want to pass up on that tutorial that promises applying toothpaste on your cracked will work.

Why We're the Right Team for Your Roofing Job



We've always believed that good roofers don't cut corners but rather add them. Our commitment to honesty, superb customer service and unimpeachable workmanship are the keys to our long-running success. Backed by our $1 million insurance coverage, there aren't many projects our loyal team of experienced roofers can't tackle. When you hire us to roof your home, we treat you like you're family.