Preventing Roof Leaks

More often than not, roof maintenance is not thought about until a leak has already developed. By the time the leak is apparent though, the time, effort and expense required to rectify the problem is much greater than if action was taken beforehand. Therefore, knowing a little about what causes leaks to develop can be a real help in stopping the issue before it becomes serious, and can save property owners a lot of money in the long-run.

The first step in learning about roof leaks is to know a little about roofs themselves, with the built up asphalt roof being a good example as it is the most common type of roof. This type of roof consists of 3 or 4 layers of asphalt sheeting that has been bonded together with tar. The top layer of asphalt sheeting will have had a fine mineral granule embedded into it. The purpose of the mineral being to act as a barrier between the weather and the asphalt below it.

8-10 years is the typical life-span of a built-up asphalt roof. Regular maintenance is required during this time, as areas such as roof vents, vent pipes and skylights are susceptible to becoming un-sealed. The normal maintenance for these areas involves the application of plasticized cold asphalt. The problem with these treatments, along with other petroleum based roofing products, is that they rapidly out-gas into the atmosphere over the course of a few years. What is left behind is brittle, non-flexible and most often permeable by moisture.

When this occurs the asphalt releases the protective mineral that shields the underlying asphalt. Once the asphalt is exposed, it is subject to deterioration from UV rays, weathering elements and rapid out-gassing. Weathering elements such as rain, hail, snow, dust and, most commonly wind, promote the breakdown of built-up asphalt roofs. It is shortly after this point that property owners will begin to discover all is not well with their roof.

So, what can home and business owners do to prevent their roof getting in this state? Firstly, they should inspect their roof and its coating at least every year. Secondly, they should apply a non-petroleum based protective treatment to it.

If a roof leak should have already developed, and a property owner is faced with expensive repairs, the it may be worth their while to change their roof coating system to a solar reflective one. This may be slightly more expensive than going through with the repairs, but in the long term money will be saved as the roof will be more durable and will require less maintenance.

About the Author

This article was written by a builder, with over 35 years experience. He is currently working in Las Cruces, where he is building luxury homes, which you can learn more about here: Las Cruces Homes For Sale.