How to Find Leaks in Your Roof
As time goes by, your roof will develop leaks. These leaks are caused by a variety of factors such as missing shingles, corroded roof bolts, or cracked surfaces. Repairing them is actually the easy part. The most difficult part is locating the leak itself. In fact, you probably would not know where the hole is until you suddenly see puddles of water on the floor or water stains on the ceiling or wall. Here are some guidelines on how to make spotting the damage easier.
First, remove the ceiling panel where you think the leak is. If the damage is large enough, you can easily spot it because the sunlight shines through the hole. Take a toothpick or a long stick that fits into the hole. Push it up the hole and secure it with a piece of sticky tape. When you climb up the roof, you will clearly see the stick out of the leak, marking the area where you need to do some localised repair.
It is a different story if you cannot find leaks with this method. Some leaks are so tiny that no light can shine through. Some are situated in sections where the edges of shingles or metal flashings overlap, preventing sunlight from going in. In this case, two people are needed. One goes up the roof and sprays water into the area using a garden house. The other stays below and marks the hole where the water is trickling down. Finally, before doing these roof checks, make sure that you are wearing the proper apparel. Remember that shingles are slippery when wet, thus you need to wear anti-slip boots and secure yourself to a structure such as the chimney.
Other Related Topics:
Looking for Roofing Contractor, Different Roofing Materials, Commercial Building Regulations, Investing on Home Improvement
