Things you never knew about roof leaks

You might think that roof leaks are pretty self-explanatory. It rains hard, the elements wear holes in your roof, and rain then gets beyond your roof, into your home and causes lots of damage. While this is essentially true, it’s hardly comprehensive. In fact, if you thought that rain was the leading cause of roof leaks, you’d be wrong. Sunshine is. That’s because a hot sunny day will do more to wear out your roof than any rain storm ever could. Let’s look at some other things you almost certainly didn’t know about roof leaks.

Rain doesn’t always fall down

Everyone knows that rain comes from clouds and falls downwards. But not always. Strong winds can actually cause rain to go sideways or even upwards at a slight angle. These driving rains can cause all kinds of problems for your roof. They are able to get water underneath your shingles in ways a normal rain never could. Fortunately, there is much roofers can do to protect your home from driving rain. They have ways of protecting your roof from water damage no matter which direction the rain is coming from.

Trial by fire (and by fire I mean water)

Because most roof leaks actually start on hot sunny days, homeowners don’t actually become aware of leaks until the next heavy rain storm. Often times a lighter rain is not enough to reveal a roof leak. That’s because the water can dry up before it gets all the way into the home and causes perceivable damage. So you can’t know just how damaging the summer months were on your home until the next heavy rainfall. That’s when you need to pay closest attention for signs of water damage.

The leak isn’t always where you think

That brings us to the next secret about roofing leaks. It doesn’t necessarily start where you think it does. Just because water is dripping in the living room doesn’t mean the actual source of the leak is directly above. Water has a strange ability to travel from the actual leak to a completely different part of your home before finding its way through the ceiling and into your home.

Maintenance is cheaper than repairs

The last secret, and the most important for your wallet, is to keep in mind that preventative maintenance is always cheaper than extensive repairs. Try to stay on top of roof leaks by getting your roof inspected regularly.

Home improvement news brought to you by http://bartonroof.com/

Source: http://www.nbc-2.com/story/22856959/recent-rain-triggers-roofing-rush#.UfEtA403uSo