The majority of the homeowners hardly pay any attention to the roof vents. Sooner or later, they become damaged and cause big problems for the house. As a result, the furniture along with other valuables in the house are threatened. Sometimes, roof vent problems can be minor and difficult to spot. However, as soon as you spot them, you perform roof repair to fix them. Here, we will explain how you can tackle and repair roof vent issues.
How To Respond A Roof Vent That’s Leaking?
Safety First
Before heading to the roof, you need to think about your safety. Roof designs impact the difficulty level of climbing up the roof. Your roof could be hard to climb up. This is why you need to make sure you wear protective gear to keep the exposed body parts covered. Plus, if it’s your first time climbing the roof or repairing roof vents, take your time and be aware of all the precautions.
Do not attempt to climb the roof if it has recently snowed as the roof might be slippery. Wait for the ice to melt and the water to evaporate to the point where your boots can gain traction. However, if you observe that climbing the roof is more complicated than you had initially imagined, it would be better to call in an expert.
Furthermore, ask a friend or a family member to give you a helping hand. You should always have a second pair of eyes on the ground just in case something goes wrong.
Diagnosing The Roof Leak
Once you have managed to climb the roof, it is time to focus on the most important part of the process. Keep in mind that this step is going to take a considerable amount of time and effort as spotting roof leaks can be a very difficult job. So, begin by inspecting the roof in sections.
If possible, ask your helper to help you out with the process as well by climbing the roof for a while. Even if the roof vent seems to be the culprit, you should still inspect roof parts for leakages like the shingles, dormer, deteriorated nails, chimney flashing, and the condition of the chimney. The reason is that sometimes leakages take place somewhere else or due to other reasons and end up in other areas of the roof. This is what makes the process difficult.
Check the area around the vents for visible damage such as missing shingles or cracked seals. One tell-tale sign of a leaking roof vent is dark ceiling stains. If you still can’t find the leak, consider hiring a professional.
Repairing Roof Vents
If the roof vent is leaking, it must be the rubber flange around the base of the vent pipe that might be causing the problem. To fix the issue, you will need to replace the rubber flange and slip a new rain collar over the pipe ensuring it is a snuggly fit over the existing one. Then, use a waterproof sealant on top of the new flange.
On the other hand, if the roof vent happens to be damaged due to extreme weather conditions or other factors, you will need to replace it. If the cracks or seams are broken to the point where water will continue to leak no matter how many repair attempts are made, it is simply better to replace them.
Begin by removing shingles covering the edges of the vent and remove the nails as well. Use the waterproof sealant to cover the nail holes. Install the new vent and secure it in place using nails. After this, apply the sealant on the edges of the vent and also on the nails.
What Are The Signs Of A Leaking Roof?
Mold In The House
In addition to the dark ceiling stains, another major sign of a leaking roof is mold in the house. It is a sure sign of excess moisture inside the house. Plus, mold grows when the leakage has either gradually increased or become serious. As mentioned before, it might be hard to spot a leakage in its initial days.
But, if you observe mold, it means the leakage needs to be fixed immediately. Then again, finding the root cause of the problem can be a bit difficult as the water travels down through different areas. That said, the mold doesn’t need to always take place at the leakage spot.
It might be that water is dripping down and collecting in some other area causing mold to grow. In such a case, you might simply ignore the root cause of the problem. This is why it is important to perform personal inspections especially if you live in a region that experiences extreme weather conditions. Moreover, hire roofing contractors Akron for a professional inspection once or twice a year.
Strong Odors
Strong odors are hard to ignore. But, sometimes, homeowners tend to ignore the issue assuming it might be coming from the kitchen or spoiled food items. If you observe the odor is not going away but becoming stronger each day, you will need to get it checked by an expert.
Unlike a stain, following and determining where the odor is coming from is the most difficult part of fixing a leaking roof. Furthermore, molds in different areas of the house can also produce a musty smell.
Missing And Damaged Shingles
Missing and damaged shingles can also cause your roof to leak. Although, shingles will last quite a bit of time, extreme weather conditions can take a toll on them. Plus, if the roof happens to be old and not properly maintained, the shingles will likely need replacement.
It might also be that there is a small leak seeping into the attic. Now, the attic is yet another important factor that is left ignored while identifying roof leaks. It is estimated that more than 60% of the roof leaks tend to take place through the attic.
Therefore, by the time you find the damaged shingles, it might be that the water has already seeped into the attic. Therefore, replacing the shingles is the only option but not without fixing the leak first.
Can Roof Maintenance Avoid Leakages?
Yes, roof maintenance is the only way to avoid leakages. Unfortunately, homeowners think of it as an expense rather than considering it an investment to keep the roof safe. A roof is an important part of the house and is supposed to be expensive at the same time. That said, if you were to maintain it along the way, you would most probably benefit from the expense.
However, if you ignore it and wait for the leakages or other problems to take place, you will end up spending way more money than usual. This is because you could have simply prevented and stopped the issues from growing by performing or scheduling expert maintenance.
This is why, even if it is an expense, it turns out in your favor in the long run. Just like other household appliances that need maintenance, the roof is nothing unusual. Keep in mind that a roof consists of several different components, which makes it complicated to handle as well.
Therefore, it is wise to consult an expert and protect the roof before it reaches a point where you need an entirely new one.
Conclusion
Repairing roof vents is easy if you can identify them in the beginning. However, sometimes, spotting the leakages might not be possible no matter how hard you look for them. Regardless, your roof must be maintained by an expert roofer Hudson to avoid such complications to begin with.
