leaks: Articles tagged with “leaks”

This information can clarify and help answer some questions about common skylight problems.

Q: We are having condensation problems in our home. We have aluminum single pane windows, which sweat profusely in the winter. We are also seeing water spots on the ceilings and corners of the outside walls and on the inside of the front wooden door. The attic is vented and the soffits are clear. Can you help us?

A skylight is an excellent source of both warmth and light for your home and it can enhance the overall appearance of your house as well as giving a little extra air when required. A number of factors can lead to a leaky skylight but the most common factor is an improperly fitted or installed skylight. This inadequacy is usually brought about because having a skylight fitted by a professional roofing contractor can cost a lot of money, and people tend to revert to a handyman or, often worse, doing it themselves. Lack of proper knowledge of construction regarding the skylight fitting and the roof surrounding it can lead to disastrous results. Even the inadequate fixing of an existing leaky skylight can make things worse.

A skylight can be a beautiful addition to any home. Some people get depressed without sunlight and, for those who fit that description, a skylight can help to make the home bright and cheery. A skylight is designed to fill your home with sun, but certainly not the rain. Unfortunately, nothing is perfect and even skylights can develop structural problems.

The flashing on your roof is essentially another shingle but because it is usually found at intersections where the component parts of your roof join they are prone to damage. Roof leaks caused by bad flashing are a common problem. Some roof leaks occur because the flashing was installed incorrectly, but it is also feasible that the flashing on your roof has been battered and bruised by the elements. Proper maintenance and early repair are both vital to preventing roof leaks caused by bad flashing.

Looking after the roof is the first and possibly most important step to caring for the long-term life of any house. Roof leaks are obviously a big problem in any house but knowing the correlation between melting snow and roof leaks can help to prevent one of the major problems that many houses face. When snow melts and runs down the roof it often refreezes at it reaches the edge of the roof and the gutter. You've probably stood back in awe looking at these ice dams that form, but these can cause havoc with the integrity of your roof. However, they are relatively easy to prevent and doing so will save money and headaches in the future.

A flat roof is more prone to leaks due to the fact that the roof has no pitch for snow and other debris to slide off, so it remains on the roof until we remove it. This can cause an array of damage, including snow and ice damage, holes from debris, heavy weight causing structure damage and more. Flat roofs should be inspected several times each year to detect any damage or possible problems before they arise.

As homeowners, we are vulnerable to Mother Nature every day. When misfortune lands at our doorstep or, in this case, our rooftop, we can be thankful for insurance coverage and the availability of roofing insurance claims for storm damage. When purchasing insurance, it is advisable to check with your insurance agent about your policy's coverage as it relates to storm damage.

Roofs are the most important part of our homes' weatherproofing. A leaking roof can cause serious damage in a short time.

Removing heavy snow from your roof can prevent costly water damage to your roof, walls and ceilings. Water leaks from ice and snow are caused by interior heat from the house. Water from this melting is trapped and creates an ice dam on the roof, gutters and downspouts. The water then takes the path of least resistance and under the roof system, or sideways and through flashings which were not designed for ponded water. When this happens, interior water damage can occur. But unless you can do it safely, don't jeopardize your well-being by trying to remove it yourself. Leave it to a professional.

It can be difficult to tell exactly where leaks are coming from in your roof and even more difficult to tell why they have started. If you have horizontal roof boards for instance the leak can be located several feet away from the wet patch on your ceiling or in your attic. The causes of a leaking roof can range from wear and tear to roof leaking by wind driven rain. Wind driven rain can cause a problem and be difficult to fix. Often a roof can be in perfect condition but because the wind drives the rain across and upwards it can get under the eave and under the roof.

The most important part of preventing roof leaks is replacing damaged or missing roofing. Preservative oil treatments (sealants) can prolong the life of a wood shake roof if they are repeated at appropriate intervals throughout the life of a roof, ideally starting when the roof is three to six years old. However, that will not "repair" cracked or curling shakes which need to be replaced to maintain the roof's effectiveness. Also, after replacing some cracked, missing and curling wood shakes throughout the roof, the new shakes are lighter in color and can stand out like polka dots. Applying a preservative oil treatment can help blend the new shakes in with older ones and make the roof look more attractive, especially when trying to sell the house.

A roof leak is caused by one thing - moisture. This can sometimes be difficult to detect, but technology has provided roofing professionals with a new method to find a flat roof leak using infrared survey. Because of their simplicity, flat roofs are common. Unfortunately, also because of their design, a flat roof is more susceptible to water build up and damage.

There are many resources on how to find a roof leak but most of the time, homeowners can locate the problem themselves within minutes. A leaking roof should be repaired promptly before further damaged is caused to the structure of the roof itself, or to the home. If a leak is left untreated, the structure will likely be damaged along with some belongings inside your home.

Roofs are the most important part of a home's weatherproofing -- a leaking roof can cause incalculable damage in a relatively short time. When people spot a leak, they may discover that finding an available roofer can be difficult. Obviously, a roofer makes more money doing a replacement than he or she does doing simple repairs. But this isn't the main reason roofers avoid repair work.

Your roof is one of the most important parts of your house and is the one thing that provides the building structure, the building occupants and the building contents with protection from the elements. Many roofs are in a state of disrepair but homeowners ignore this until the roof gets worse or until the weather gets worse. With regular maintenance and the early identification and fixing of any problems you can usually avoid big problems that have equally big price tags attached to them. Regular maintenance will also help extend the life of your roof.

Q: There are water marks in the ceiling of our family room, which is directly under a bathroom. Which type of handyman should I call to work the problem - a plumber or a carpenter?

Q: What kinds of plumbing emergencies could occur that a homeowner should know about? What should we do while waiting for the plumber?

Q: When showering, water leaks to our basement. We have part of the ceiling open because of an attempt to find it several years ago. No plumbers have been here. We use a bucket to catch the water. Also if you take a bath and the water goes in to the overflow drain then it leaks in another area of the basement. It is not possible for a home project but maybe you could enlighten me on what to look for when finding a plumber so this does not become a quite expensive repair if necessary.

Q: My bathtub is leaking. We pulled the faucet but could not fix the leak. Is there a washer somewhere? What do you suggest?