I Have A Leak In My Flat Roof

You know the roof is bad if shingles are missing or obviously damaged or when water stains the ceiling or walls.

I have a leak in my flat roof.

If you have attic access the easiest way to track down a leak is to go up there with a flashlight and look for the evidence. Thin pieces of material sometimes metal that have been installed to weatherproof the roof and stop water entering at angles or joint. I always start at flashings. They can be several feet above the leak or to the right or left of it.

What causes flat roof leaks. Flashings are transitional roofing materials. Penetrations can include plumbing and roof vents chimneys dormers or anything else that projects through the roof. Finding the actual spot where the roof leaks is difficult because water can enter the roof in one place and run down to another before it starts soaking into the ceiling.

The goal is to find the leak before the entire roof goes bad. If you have a flat roof that leaks get up on it when it is dry and cool. Most flat roofs are very slightly sloped to facilitate runoff so explore from the point of the water s entrance up the. Knowing what to look for can help you locate a flat roof leak although it may still take a bit of patience to track the hole down so you can repair it.

There can be several reasons your flat roof leaks and each of them can strike in almost any situation. A common cause of leaks on flat roofs is often flashing. This flashing is normally installed around pipes and at roof edges but it isn t always that durable. These three causes are.

Careful inspection of the roof drainage system for blockages or drain leaks into the building see flat roof drainage. Begin this project when the roof has been. How to find a leak on a flat roof the best time to look for a leak is when the roof has been dry for at least three days and in the evening night time when after cooling down the flat roof leak hot spot will release heat that has stored underneath the hole during the day. Steps in tracking down a flat or low slope roof leak careful visual inspection of the roof surface above for possible leak points such as any anomaly in the roof surface.

You want to look for trouble spots that generally are the primary source of leaks. While there are many different causes of leaks there are three that we have identified as the most common and most detrimental to your building s performance. This means that moisture can seep into the roof itself and cause problems that may lead to mold and fungus. From inside measure the distance from where the leak is visible to the two nearest walls.