Keep the Leaks off Your Head

How to Notice and Prevent Roof Damage

The first question that may come to mind is why do I have to check my roof? Well, preventative measures now could save you lots of money later on, whether you are looking to sell your home, and especially if you’ve just moved into a new house. Cold weather stresses on roofs can turn minor problems into major complaints. Now is the best time to have your roof inspected to make sure that minor problems will not became major leaks. Knowing what state your roof is in will assure that you have fewer headaches down the road.

If you can’t afford to get a professional to come look at your roof, it is possible to do it yourself. Bear in mind that only an experienced home inspector should climb a ladder to inspect the roof surface. Your eyes don’t replace professionals, there’s no certification that goes along with your check and it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to correctly diagnose a problem. Not to mention standing and walking around on a slanted object is usually quite dangerous. Still, if your roof isn’t too slanted or if you just want to do a preliminary check you can head up yourself and get a decent idea of your roof’s condition.

What Did It Start Like?

Before you even think about heading on to the roof, the first thing you’ll need to know is what condition was the roof in before—in other words you need to establish a baseline. To know what is damaged, you need to know what it looked like before the damage. If you can, try to find the original plans to the house, the specifications, the repair orders, etc. If it’s a house you just bought ask the previous house owners, or whoever it was that examined their roof for any other information that was not written down.

Tools of the Trade

Before you even head up to the roof the first thing you’ll need to do is collect some tools.

You’ll need the following:

•  Tape measure
•  Roof drawing (copy of original)
•  Paint stick or large wax crayon (spray paint could be used)
•  Note pad and pencil
•  Camera (or video camera)
•  Whisk broom
•  Putty knife
•  Trash bag

What Should Be Checked?

Perhaps surprisingly, the starting point of a roof inspection should actually be the interior of your house. If you’re moving into a new house the interior walls and ceilings should be examined for any signs of water staining which would indicate a problem above on the roof. Then, the roof itself should be visually inspected.

After noting any moisture areas head up to the roof. Remember to use safe practice when going up ladders.

Once on the roof, before beginning to look at the details, what is your general impression of the roof? Is it cluttered? Is there debris all around? Are loose metal covers evident? While admittedly this may be your first survey, remember first impressions are valuable.

Now proceed to some fixed reference points, a corner, edge, whatever, so that a thorough investigation can begin.

Each flashing in every unit, edge, pipe, penetration, pitch pocket, expansion joint, housing, drain, and/or whatever else is on your roof should be examined and any deficiency noted.

What kind of roof surfacing materials are found? Asphalt strip shingles, double-coverage asphalt roll roofing, single-coverage roll roofing, built-up roofing, wood shingles, metal, fiberglass, and rubber membrane are all used in my area. The asphalt strip shingles and metal roofing are typically used on higher pitch roof surfaces. Roll roofing, built-up roofing, and membranes are generally found on lower pitch or flat roof surfaces.

Sometimes you can get away with using a pair of binoculars although sometimes you may have to climb out onto a low pitch roof surface from a window in order to get a closer look at the condition of the roof surfacing material and this is, of course, not advisable and it is a good reason to think about getting an inspector to come and look. Climbing on ladders and walking on roof surfaces can be dangerous. If the roof pitch is too steep, do not walk on it, and never walk on a roof with snow or ice accumulation.

The roof inspection should include an inspection of the condition of the chimneys and chimney flashing visible above the roof surface. What is the condition of the mortar and bricks? Do the top bricks look as if they are loose? Is the top of a chimney flue liner visible? Are any bricks missing? Are there multiple flues?

Since chimney flashing often leaks, many homeowners will try to seal it up with a heavy coating of black roofing cement. While this might work in the short run, a heavy coating of cement will make it necessary to replace the flashing the next time the shingles are replaced. A better way to seal the overlapping flashing layers is with a thin bead of silicone sealant that will be watertight but can easily be removed.

On the uphill side of a wide chimney, is there a cricket? A properly installed and flashed cricket can prevent water and ice from accumulating on the uphill side of the chimney and prevent leakage.

Asphalt strip shingles are available in various grades. Depending on grade, asphalt shingle service life expectancy varies between twenty and forty years. A number of factors can accelerate the aging process of asphalt shingles. For example, if a roof surface faces south, the shingles have a tendency to wear out faster. Shingles applied over well ventilated roof structures tend to last longer than shingles applied over sheathing in contact with insulation.

Here are some things that you or your home inspector should look for on asphalt strip shingle roof surfaces. How many layers are there? Do the shingles overhang the roof rakes by 3/8" or more or are they cut shy of the verge board trim? Is metal drip edge flashing used on the roof rakes as well as the eaves? Look closely at the roof eaves. Do the shingles extend out over the eave? Are the shingle tab edges supported by a cedar shingle starter course or metal drip edge flashing? Is the cedar shingle starter course rotten and are some of the shingle edges partly missing? Is the metal drip edge steel rather than aluminum and is it rusted? What is the condition of the shingles in the vicinity of the roof eaves? Is there any damage that could have been caused by someone breaking up an ice dam with a shovel? Are any shingle tabs missing or broken?

Check the roof valleys. Is there any accumulated debris? What is the condition of valley flashing?

In 1985 and 1986, early fiberglass reinforced shingles had a tendency to crack, especially on roof surfaces facing south. Structural shifting of the roof also causes this type of fiberglass shingle to crack. If you find out that the roof shingles were installed new in 1985 or 1986, check or ask your home inspector to check for cracking. If the shingles were installed over felt underlayment, the cracking should not cause leakage.

Near the seacoast, portions of asphalt strip shingles can be blown off during storms. On homes near the ocean, you or your home inspector should check for blow-offs.

Asphalt roll roofing is intended to last seven to ten years. It is possible to extend life expectancy by coating with roof cement or tar. This type of roofing is generally found on low pitch roof surfaces on porches and additions. You or your home inspector should check for signs of aging such as cracking, blistering, delaminating seams, granule loss, and holes. The condition of wall flashing should be checked. Porch roof surfaces are subject to above average mechanical abrasion because they are often used as a work surface by paint contractors and vinyl siding installers.

Wood shingles are still used on roof surfaces. In most cases, western red cedar has the best endurance. On a wood shingle roof, check for rot, heavy lichen and moss, missing shingles. The condition of valley flashing should be checked.

Metal roofing should be checked for rust and corrosion as well as cracks.

An integral part of the roof inspection is the inspection of the gutter and downspout system. Make sure that those are checked thoroughly.

Photos are appropriate here to remind you what the roof looks like. Note on the roof plan the number of each photo and what is being shown. Arrows showing direction help. Try to show both "Normal" and "Abnormal" views.

Who Can Inspect My Roof?

There are some roofing contractors who also provide roof inspection services. The contractors can usually then provide a price for any repairs they discover needed. This type of service is good to have especially if you have a relationship with the contractor. Reputation is very important, as some contractors provide the service "free" just to get on your roof. Since there is no such thing as a free lunch, payment for the inspection service is a better approach.

What if I Already Have a Leak?

What might happen is you may not realize that you should have your roof checked both in the fall and in the spring as well as when extraordinary events occur, such as after extreme storms or the installation of new rooftop equipment. And now you’ve discovered that you’ve got a leak, but that’s okay. It’s not the end of the world. In the life cycle of every roof, at one point or another, you will have to deal with a leak. In general, roofs are not designed to last as long as the rest of your house. This does not imply that a leak means the roof needs to be replaced, but it can be a warning.

The first thing to remember is not to panic. The roof can be repaired. Most building materials are tolerant of a certain amount of moisture. The amount of damage done to building materials by moisture is directly related to the amount of moisture and the time of exposure. If both of these can be reduced then the potential for permanent damage to the inside of a building can be reduced. Try to minimize the damage once the leak is discovered, then work diligently to stop the leak and to prevent additional damage.

When you discover a leak:

• First move away from the wet, leaky area anything that can be damaged by direct moisture. This includes filing cabinets, desks, chairs, pictures on a wall, etc.
• Buckets and plastic should be installed using duct tape to hold them in place in order to catch the water.
• Ceiling tiles should be removed. Ceiling tiles will just spread the leak from one tile to the next. If they are already damaged they will not get any better if left in place. By taking them out, the water should drip more directly from the underside of the roof deck to the floor where buckets and plastic have now been placed.
• It might be worthwhile to utilize a wetvac as they can be rented inexpensively. This will reduce the potential for permanent damage to the carpet or flooring.
• And remember, water coming through the ceiling does not necessarily mean that it is a roof leak. A leaky pipe or backed up toilet from the above bathroom could be the culprit.

If you notice a leak coming down a wall you can try to minimize the damage until you can get a professional in to repair it. If you have ceiling tiles remove them in the area along the wall. Try to expose the leak—it may not be at the wall. Apply plastic with duct tape to the wall as high as possible. You may be able to help divert the water away from the wall and onto the plastic where it can then be contained and mopped up. Minimize the amount of time the water is on the wall. The deck-wall intersection is not an uncommon leak point. Again, plastic can be taped in with duct tape which is fairly tolerant of moisture.

If there is no storm going on, it’s stopped raining (never go up if there is a chance of lightening) and it’s not a very slanted roof, you can check for the source of the leak. Though, as with most things to do with roofs, you’re probably better off to leave it to a professional.

If you do consider trying to stop the leak yourself (particularly if more rain is predicted) there are a couple of different materials that can be used for stopping leaks:

•  Plastic roof cement and woven glass mesh.
•  A roll of duct tape. Self-adhesive tape will only adhere to a dry, smooth surface but may be adequate to seal small punctures or tears for single-ply systems.
• Bentonite clay mixture, available in bags or in plastic drums. It is spread over the area that appears to be leaking. This material is a fine powder, but when exposed to water swells up and will seal the leak. A sandbag or other donnage can be used to divert water flow from a damaged roof area.

What you can do while checking for the source of the leak is check the drains in that area. The whole reason for the leak could be a backed up, plugged drain. The water flowing over the flashings is a leak that is easily repaired by cleaning the drain. Sometimes, between routine maintenance checks, debris and other objects accumulate on the roof clogging up the drain system.

If the roof is under five years then it may be something for which the contractor is still responsible. However, most contractors do not give warranties beyond one or two years. It’s a good idea to find out.

If there is a manufacturer’s warranty, immediately notify the manufacturer directly. The roofer may be responsible to do some of the repair work, but make sure the manufacturer knows that the roof has a leak and that you are very interested in repairing the leak as quickly as possible.

If you do patch the roof yourself, remember that afterwards you will want to bring a professional in to make a permanent repair.

A leak is a natural occurrence. The inconvenience of having to deal with the leak can be minimized with prompt attention to the leak.

In Conclusion

Just remember that undiscovered leaks allow water to do a large amount of damage before it finally enters the house as a "leak". The cost savings of inspections can be most compelling. The cost to replace a roof is measured in dollars per square foot and the cost to inspect a roof is measured in pennies per square foot. Simply put, inspection is a cost effective technique to prolong the life of a roof. Two checks a year can keep easily handled problems from becoming disruptive, big-budget nightmares.

This paper is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing contained herein constitutes legal, financial or other professional advice. Transmission of these materials is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, any relationship of any kind between the provider and the recipient. Some of these points may not apply in your area. Different term and conditions may vary from state to state and province to province. All articles, text and photographic material presented here is for the use and pleasure of the recipient only.

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