Keeping your roof repaired is important to help maintain the integrity of your home. Damaged roofs can create other problems in the walls and even in the foundation of home.
Roof repairs can be expensive, but there are several home maintenance tasks that you can do yourself to keep your roof secure.
1. Chimney Leaks
Brick Chimneys are known for having problems with leaks. Deteriorated shingles or broken flashing can allow rain or moisture to seep down the side of the chimney and effect the walls and other parts of the home. You can repair chimney leaks easily by installing new flashing around the chimney and using a sealant to make the space between the flashing and chimney watertight.
2. Repair Small Holes
Small holes in shingles might seem like they couldn’t hurt your home, but they can slowly allow water to seep through the shingles and down into the plywood roofing of your home. Holes can be created from things like leftover roofing nails, antenna mounting brackets, and even satellite dishes that have been removed. Left long enough, the water leaking through these holes can create larger holes, and do even more damage to the walls of your home. You can repair small holes by sliding strips of flashing under the shingles and nailing them down.
3. Dormer Walls
Water can also cause problems when it is driven by wind through areas like the frame around dormer walls. Caulking can develop cracks that let water into the walls. Rain can also drip into the bottom of the dormer wall frames and create wood rot. You can repair dormer walls by using flashing and high-quality caulking to repair cracks in corners and the bottom of dormer walls.
4. Roof Vents
Cracked housing around roof vents and seams can cause water to create wood rot and other problems in your home. The edges of the roof vents can also decay, letting water get underneath the vent and into the walls. The best way to repair roof vents is to simply replace the vent and nail down the flashing around the new roof vent. Once the vent is secure, seal the edges with high-quality caulking to keep water out.
5. Plumbing Vent Boots
Plumbing vent boots can be made from metal or plastic and might rattle loose from the roofing over time, creating gaps between the roof and the vent. These vent boots are part of the plumbing system that is used to let gases escape through the roof from the plumbing system. The boots can also sometimes get ripped or torn, letting water leak in under the flashing and into the walls of the house. Having a professional plumbing company like Conrad Martens Plumber Brisbane Northside conduct an inspection of the roof vent boots can help you determine the repairs that need to be made.
6. Locating Roof Problems
Sometimes roof problems are so small that they are hard to locate, but are still able to cause severe damage to your roof and the walls of your home. Use a garden hose to soak the shingles on your roof, letting it run for at least 10 minutes on each side of the roof. Examine the ceiling in each room to locate any signs of water stains. If water stains are located, pull back any shingles that look deteriorated and inspect the roofing felt paper for water stains or decay. Once the damaged area is located, you can remove the shingles in the affected area and replace them with new shingles and roof paper.
7. Shingle Replacement
Over time, shingles can become decayed or rot away from the sun or water beating on them. You can replace a single shingle or a section of the shingles without having to tear off the entire roof. By sliding a putty knife under the damaged shingle, you can break the seal and slide the damaged shingle out from under the remaining shingles. You can replace the damaged shingles with new shingles by sliding the new ones underneath the existing shingles and nailing them down with roofing nails. You can seal the new shingles down by lifting the bottom of the new shingle and placing a dab of roofing cement across the bottom.
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