The Reality About Roofs
You can't have too many roofs in your stock without handling leaks. If you rehab, you EXPECT to find ceiling stains, the inform tale indication of a leaking roofing, in almost every task. I discover projects without indications of past or present leaks the exception to the norm!
Sometimes shingles are just going to need replaced. There is no getting around it. Curled shingles, and numerous leaks are a respectable indicator that it would be cheaper to change the roofing instead of repair. Simply aspect that into the repair work and accept it. It's something you won't have to stress over if you are keeping the property, and it ups the value whether you keep it or sell it on the retail market after the rehab.
If the shingles still have some life on them, but there is some leakage to fix, discovering the real source of the issue can take several tries. It can get pretty aggravating as you in some cases try and stop working to fix a leaky roofing system. Naturally, you wish to attempt to repair this without calling out a pricey professional roofing professional. Often you can, sometimes you can't. Here are some ideas for detecting roofing leaks.
-- I find that in the course of a rehab, it's always "great" to have an extended period of heavy rains. That way, any and all leaks become apparent. If you have a home that is not inhabited, or that is not being actively rehabbed after a period of prolonged rains, go visit and look for signs of leakages. If you can come by while it's still drizzling, that's the primary, finest time to examine leaks from inside the attic.
-- The garden tube-- a rehabber's pal. In a recent project of mine, the roofing system was reasonably new yet I had a ceiling stain in the kitchen area. We 'd thought it was all looked after in two tries, so we covered the ceiling, applied stain block, and textured over the spot. Then came the rains, and the circular and symmetrical area was back! I 'd had practically enough so I climbed up onto the roof, garden hose in hand, and stationed my handyman in the attic. In less than a minute of hosing down the roofing we discovered the really tiny hole that was the culprit. A dab of tar listed below and above the shingle and viola! Issue resolved. The small hole was causing water to leak straight onto the ceiling drywall, hence the circular stain.
-- Expect stain patterns. The pattern can offer you tips. When you stumble upon a circular ceiling stain, there's a good chance the leak is leaking directly onto the ceiling dry wall from above. Put a nail in the center of the stain and enter the attic and look straight above the nail and you may simply find the issue. If you do this in brilliant daylight, a specification of light may be visible, which would make the repair a little easier. Even if you find a hole, I still suggest the garden hose pipe trick to see if there are other problems to fix.
If the stain is small and circular, it usually implies the amount of water is smalllucky you. If the stain region is bigger, it might still be an easy fix especially if it is a single hole. If there suffices rain making onto the ceiling drywall, it will pool and soak in. This will make it look like a massive leakage, when it might be a one-shingle repair (plus some new ceiling drywall). The garden tube technique will rapidly tell you if the issue is a single hole, or your roof resembles Swiss cheese.
Stains that appear along a line may indicate that water is draining along a rafter or truss. Check that rafter beginning with the top trying to find signs of water. The source may be a single hole that is sending thin down the rafter making multiple spots show up in a line.
-- Separating the leakage. Know the ridgeline. When you are examining a residential or commercial property, understand the direction the roof ridgeline runs as you check the interior. If you encounter a ceiling stain towards the middle of your home near where the ridgeline is above you, the source of the water is simpler to isolate. Water does not stream up! So, the suspect location extends from approximately the stain location, approximately the ridgeline. In many cases, that's a lot less roof to examine.
On the other hand when spots are out near the roofing system edges, they are the trickiest to diagnose. Why? The source of the water could be from greater in the roofing system than where the stain is. The water might be getting under a shingle near the peak, draining down in between the shingles and ply, and finally dripping at the point you are seeing the stain. It's simply difficult to tell upon initial evaluation. Enter the roofing and take a look at the rafters around that area for indications of water stains? If you're lucky you'll see light and a hole. If you're not that lucky, it's time to get on the roof and see what you can find. If you don't discover anything apparent, it's time to call a rooferthat is, unless you decide to change the entire roof.
-- Valleys are typically the culprit when it comes to leaky roofs. I specifically find this in property that has been overlooked or uninhabited for long periods of time. Extremely typically the problem is triggered since leaves have collected in the valley. These leaves hold wetness which decomposes the shingles top-rated plumber nearby and underlying ply gradually. Depending upon the level of the rot, the repair can range from replacing ply and shingles to wiping the leaves and letting it dry. Understand your roof valleys and keep them clear!
With roof leakages, there are no short cuts. It's much easier and more affordable in the long run to aggressively identify the leak problem and look for surprise leakages that simply haven't soaked through the ceiling drywall yet. Do not presume that as soon as you discover one hole in the roofing system, or a broken shingle that the issue is repaired. Get that hose out and verify it! There is something about climbing up in an attic and on a roof that isn't fun to re-do.