Anytime you notice a wet spot in your ceiling, it is enough to send you into a panic. This means that you have a leak in your roof somewhere. Sometimes, roof leaks are small, but there are many times that the leaks are larger than you think they are. There are several things that can cause your roof to leak. Nickerson Roofing is here to talk about some of the most common causes for roof leaks so that homeowners can hopefully avoid them in the first place.

Roof Leak Causes

We are going to take a closer look at some of the most common reasons why a roof leaks. This can be helpful when you notice that there is a wet spot in your ceiling:
– Pipe Boot Leaks: All homes have pipes that are there to help ventilate. These pipes are surrounded by a boot to help keep them watertight. When these boots get older, it isn’t uncommon for them to crack and start to fail. This is going to allow water to leak into your attic and cause damage.
– Improper Installation: When the shingles are installed on your roof, there are thousands of nails that get the job done. If the nails aren’t driven in far enough or are driven in on an angle, they will eventually work their way out and leave a hole in your roof.
– Flashing Issues: You have flashing on certain areas of your roof to help direct water in different directions. It is made out of metal. If the flashing is missing or wasn’t installed properly, you might find water making its way into your ceiling or down your walls when severe weather hits. There is also flashing found around any skylights or windows found in your roof as well. This flashing is essential to keeping your roof from leaking.
– Clogged Gutters: Your gutters work to keep water flowing off your roof and away from your home. There should also be some flashing behind the gutters, at your roof line that works to keep water from getting into your house as well. If there are clogs in the gutters, it is going to allow the water to pool and leak into the house.
– Chimney Leaks: If you notice a leak around your chimney, it is more than likely a flashing issue. However, not all chimney leaks are roof leaks. The mortar joints on the chimney can allow water to seep in if they are getting old.
– Ice Damming: During the winter, ice damming is something that all homeowners should avoid. As beautiful as icicles might look on your roofline, they are incredibly destructive. As the snow and ice above the ice dams start to thaw, there is nowhere for the water to go and it ends up causing damage to the roof.

Roof Repair, Replacement & More in Truckee, Mystic, Tahoe City, Kings Beach & The North Lake Tahoe Basin of California

If you have a leak in your roof, you can turn to Nickerson Roofing to find the cause and work to fix the problem. Call us today!