Roofers just don’t get enough credit. We all think that roofing is easy and it’s mostly manual labor. This statement is just simply not true. While there is a lot of manual labor involved in being a roofing professional, there is also a lot of very difficult and complex challenges to being a roofer. One example of a mentally challenging task is roof leak detection.
Roof leak detection is exactly what it sounds like, detecting where that annoying leak is coming from. Most people don’t even think about their roof unless it’s leaking and in many situations it’s not simple to detect. Just because part of your roof deck is starting to rot does not mean that that’s where the leak is coming from. Also, just because your window is leaking does not mean it’s due to a leaky window. In fact a leaky window could be the cause of a roofing issue.
Confused yet?
As you can see detecting a leak isn’t as simple as locating the moisture or water. Remember that the most important step in leak detection is to determine if there even is a leak. It’s often that leaks start where there have recently been home repairs. Other times you need to go to parts of the house that are not used often, such as your attic, so that you can locate a leak.
Simple Signs of a Leaky Roof
We mentioned in the beginning that leak detection can be complicated, and often times it is. However this is not always the case. If you’re reading this is most likely because you have an obvious leak. Look for water stains on your ceiling. Look for water running down your wall. You’ll see darker rings that resemble wax drips from candles.
Another way to identify a roof leak, which is not as common, is to smell for the leak. This can be a simple approach. This might be a little extreme and an advanced technique but it’s simple in theory. A leaking roof typically creates rot and mold, both of which have a distinct smell. You might have to identify a few roof leaks on your own and get familiar with the smell before you get good at this approach, but when you do it’s a relatively simple way to detect a roof leak.
Hidden Signs of a Roof Leak
Check your shingles
We know that you are 100% more concerned with your lawn than your roof. As a roofer we are always so surprised with how a homeowner will care about how perfect their grass looks, but never put thought into the roof, which is literally the most important part of their house.
My point is that next time you are outside admiring your lawn look on your roof. Do you see any missing shingles? Do you see any loose shingles? You probably don’t realize that shingles are layered specifically to prevent water from getting underneath. This means that if you have a loose or missing shingle then you might have an entry point for water.
Shingles all look the same and looking for a lose shingle is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but if you can find it then you’ve most likely just detected the leak.
Think outside the roof
As we mentioned before a common source of roof leaks will come from windows, dormers, walls etc. We recommend checking for the damaged areas using a putty knife.
Also, many leaks are 100% not visible unless it’s raining. This makes it extremely hard to detect. However, these leaks are very easy to detect during a rainstorm. During a storm go into the attic and listen for drips or any sounds related to a leak. Check beams for water too.