If you know or suspect that your roof is leaking, contact a licensed roofing contractor right away. Signs of a leak include water stains on the ceiling or wet spots in the attic.
Are you worried that your roof is leaking? Keep reading to know what to do!
We get many calls from homeowners who need help finding and repairing a roof leak in Bel Air, Maryland. It can often be a difficult task, so as a top-rated service for roof repair in Hickory, we wanted to put together this post to help you understand the causes of a roof leak and how to keep an eye out.
What To Do When You Find a Roof Leak
If you have noticed water stains or water coming from the ceiling, you most likely have a leak. It is essential to immediately repair the leak to keep your roof system (shingles, underlayment, decking, supports, and insulations) from suffering any further damage.
Stay calm and call a reputable roofing company. Find one that is local and has enough experience and reviews that you can be confident in their assessment.
The leading cause of a roof leak is a faulty roofing system, either past its age of recommended usefulness or an incorrectly installed system. But how can we find the leak?
Get a Thorough Roof Inspection
Have a certified contractor conduct an inspection of all of the roofing components to identify problems and correctly solve the problem. A roof is more than just shingles, so a detailed inspection and report will help you proceed.
Shingles
Shingles are the initial layer of protection against Maryland’s elements. Remember, we get all four seasons here, so the roof contracts and expands over time, which can cause issues. Damaged shingles can look buckled, cracked, or missing altogether.
Another sign is to look for granules (tiny asphalt pebbles) on the ground surrounding your home or in the gutter. If you have trees nearby, check the roof in those areas for any inconsistencies or damage a swaying branch rubbing against a roof will deteriorate it over time.
Flashing
The flashing will guide the water down and not allow water to seep into the building material behind the siding. Over time, flashing can wear and become faulty. Look for loose flashing, ripped pieces of metal, or missing areas. Look around elevation changes such as chimney and garage/home abutments.
A correctly installed flashing system guides the water in the direction you want it to go. Often, we install flashing near where the roof meets the sides. For instance, flashing is installed where a garage meets the home’s central portion.
Skylights and Chimneys
Skylights and chimneys are notorious for leaks in Maryland. It should be pretty obvious if the leak is coming from a skylight, whereas a chimney leak can be more challenging to locate. The ceiling’s drywall above and around a skylight can become discolored, soggy, and eventually fail altogether if there is a leak.
If the skylight was installed incorrectly, it is easy for water (from rain or snow) to find its way into your home. Skylights have professional seams made of different gasket-type materials to prevent this from happening, but it all hinges on a correct installation.
Call a Reliable Roofer
The faster you call and make a contractor aware of the problem, the faster they will be able to respond and get a qualified roofer out to your home or business to inspect the roof.
At Tar Heel Construction Group LLC, we pride ourselves on our professionalism, and we understand that having an emergency leak can be stressful.
We’ve walked a lot of homeowners in the Cecil, Harford, and Baltimore county areas through the process of locating and fixing a leak; whether it’s a patch, a new rubber gasket around a vent pipe, or a whole new roofing system, we will make sure to give you the proper options and get the job done right
So, if you have a problem with your roof, whether it’s a leak, peeling shingles, or just a general concern, then please call us and don’t hesitate. Remember, the faster you contact us about your roof or exterior home issue, the faster we can get someone out there and help!
Our number at Tar Heel Construction Group LLC is 4106387021. We will walk you through getting a qualified representative out to your home and see what needs to be done.
Call us today at (410) 638-7021.
