With the summer rains and hurricane season approaching us, it is so important to find and to fix any leaks in the roof as soon as possible. Some of the minor tasks you might be able to do on your own, but the bigger tasks should be left to an experienced local roofing contractor. How will you know which tasks you are able to accomplish, and which ones are better left to a professional? Well that depends, on your skills level and the tools you have at your disposal, but this quick guide attempts to outline the process.
The first and most important step in the process is to identify the leak. There are different ways of doing this but there are 3 very simple ways that most people can handle. The first is to slowly walk the interior of your home, with a flashlight pointing towards your ceiling, looking for water damage. Any damage to the interior of your ceiling would be the result of the most serious type of damage since it has always penetrated the outer layer and deck.
The next step would be to take the same flashlight and safely enter your attic space. While slowly navigating inside the attack check with the light all of the lower deckings of the roof, especially in the corners and joints. This is where leaks are most likely to occur. You should be looking for signs of warping, mold or discoloration.
If the underside of the roof is covered with insulation, which it likely will be, then the roof interior won't be directly visible. But this won't necessarily be a bad thing. Roof insulation actually deteriorates quicker and more noticeable than wood does, so the insulation will have damage from the early stages of the leak. A leak is never desirable, so the earlier you catch it, then the quicker you can repair it and prevent further damage. If further damage to the wood infrastructure has always been done, then you will likely need to reach out to a roofing company in your area.
The third method requires two people, one in the attack and one on top of the roof with a water hose. The person on the top of the roof should try to mimic high-pressure rainfall by moving the hose slowly around the roof, or even using a pressure washer, with a focus around the areas with suspected damage. The person inside the attack should use the light to check for water leaking through.
Locating the leak in your roof is half the battle, and the first step in the repair process. As you have seen the first lookovers can be completed by just about anybody. The hard to reach places or for more serious leaks calling a professional roofer might be your best bet. DIY inspections for a leaky roof do not and should not replace your proper annual inspection.
Golden Roofing has been recognized as one of the top roofing companies in NYC. For all your annual inspections and DIY jobs that are too big to handle, trust a professional roofer, and give us a call: Goldenberg Roofing NYC 1274 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029 (212) 457-1324 https://bestroofingnyc.com/
