Now is the time to inspect inside your home for signs of a leaky roof. Although, this is also important to do after the next big rain, you should inspect the interior of the house to verify that you have not forgotten or overlooked any evident problems. You are looking for signs of water damage or leaking, dark spots or trails.
Begin by thoroughly walking around the inside your home with the lights on and a flashlight and check your ceilings and walls for dis-coloration. Don’t forget to check inside closets. You want to pay particular attention to inside the water heater closet, over tubs, sinks, your stove, furnace, etc. These may have vent pipes that go out through the roof. The ventilation piping will have flashings sealed with mastic or tar which can be one of the most common sources for a roof leak.
Then check around the chimney – your chimney has a metal flashing. Usually seals will need to be sealed every few years over the life of a roof. Of course, skylights are a frequent leak source and sometimes it’s the skylight itself or it could be the skylight flashing that connects the skylight box, or curb, to the roof. Skylights have a rubber gasket between the lens and the skylight frame and they often will last only 10 years.
If you have an open beam or cathedral ceiling area with exposed wood (meaning, you don’t have an attic or crawlspace over this room) often there is very little sign except faint drip lines unless you happen to catch the water dripping during the rain. If you hold the light at the right angle you can usually see these.
Did you find any of these signs of a leaky roof?
-Keystone Exteriors SPECIAL OFFER: Keystone is prepared to offer an exclusive discount up to 25% for CIR preferred customers Prompt and free estimates within 48 hour
