As a roofing contractor in Fairfax, VA, one of the most common reasons people come to us is that their roof is leaking. Most assume that it’s because of broken shingles, but in fact, there’s a wide variety of reasons that a roof may leak! That’s why it’s always a good idea to bring in an experienced Fairfax roofing contractor. That experience means they’ll be able to properly diagnose your roof and fix the right areas!
Here are just some of the many reasons a roof can leak, besides problems with the shingles themselves.
Some Lesser-Known Causes of Leaky Roofs in Fairfax, VA
- Broken Flashing
Flashing is made of pieces of metal that add additional protection whenever roofing tiles meet a feature which disrupts the roof, such as a chimney. There will necessarily be a gap between that feature and the tiles, so flashing is added to fill the gap. If the flashing is broken, water can get in.
- Valley leaks
Does your roof feature a V-shaped valley between two A-shaped structures? If so, this is highly vulnerable to leaking because nearly all the rainwater which falls onto your roof will be sent straight down that valley. As with erosion in nature, this greatly increases the chances of damage creating leaks.
- Skylights
Skylights are actually pretty notorious for being leaky around the edges, even when installed by a good roofing contractor. They also tend to collect condensation, which can be easily mistaken for a leak if it drips to the ground. If you have a skylight, chances are the edges will need frequent maintenance to prevent leaks.
- Clogged gutters
If your gutters are too thoroughly clogged, it can cause water to get trapped within them (by saturating the clog), or even back up into the roof itself. In doing so, this attacks the roof edge where it’s weakest – at the underside. Many roofs allow leaks this way since they rarely have water coming from below.
- Ice dams
This is a problem in areas with winters that shift between freezing and non-freezing temperatures. A house can develop a thick layer of ice around the edges, or within the gutters. When the temperature rises, the thin snow melts, but this ice dam does not – creating pools of water that then seep through the roof.
Whatever the problem, NuHome is a Fairfax, VA, roofing contractor you can trust. Contact our team for a free estimate.
