Part 2: The Percentage of Roof Leaks Not Associated with the Shingles
In our last blog we touched on the premise that roof shingles rarely are the problem when roof leaks develop. Feeling that we did not provide a complete list, we wanted to finish our thoughts on that. Here are some other situations that should be looked at before you blame your roof leak on the shingles.
Gutters:
If not routinely cleaned and maintained, they can cause serious problems and allow water infiltration when you least expect it. Back up or overflow issues may penetrate through fascia boards or into window head areas. Having the proper apron system installed would alleviate a lot of these issues as well as a good cleaning each year.
Ridge Vents:
New ridge vent technology is pretty sound with shingle caps being installed over top of them. Old style ridge vents, because of design and age, cause more problems due to wear and tear than anything. Something a lot of roofing contractors do not take into consideration when installing ridge vent cap is the direction that the weather comes from. You should always install your cap shingles away from the weather so that the open end is opposite the driven weather.
Fascia and Siding Meeting Areas:
Back in the day, siding manufacturers’ accessories were not much bigger than your average ¾ inch fascia. Not many issues could be pointed to what I am about to tell you. Today’s sidings and accessories used to usually extend past the average fascia board, leaving a lip above the J channel and can allow water to infiltrate. In this case, bigger is not always better and can present a problem.
Items Not Related To Your Roof At All:
Do you have an AC unit located in your attic? Is there duct work or exhaust fan piping running across the attic floor? These are just a couple of things that we have run across over the years. AC units and condensation speak for themselves. Duct work or piping can also create a condensation pool that will leak out of the pipe, through the insulation and into your living area. You might want to consider a routine inspection or an overview of a qualified individual or company to get an honest and fair assessment of what might be at risk there.
