Fix Roof Leaks Immediately
As soon as water stains start to appear on the ceiling, you know there's a leak in the roof that must be fixed immediately.
07/02/2021
Imagine waking up in the morning to find that you are lying in a wet bed. This happened to me and I was invited onto Radio 702 again this Saturday to talk about leaks. Quite an appropriate topic considering the amount of rain we have had over the past couple of weeks.
But back to wetting the bed! After a severe storm during the night, a roof tile had slipped out of place and the rain had poured in. Slowly but surely, the rainwater accumulated on the ceiling before eventually dripping through - right over the bed. While this isn't something that could be foreseen in advance, it does get you to thinking if it could happen again. What was a tad more disconcerting than waking up in a wet bed was the fact that the link was around the bedroom light fitting and the situation could have been even worse than it was.
LEAKS HAPPEN WITH ANY ROOF TYPE
There's a lot that could go wrong on a roof, no matter the type of roofing material you have on your house.
• Leaks on a tiled roof
Roof tiles can crack and break or, as in my case, they can slip out of place. The mortar supporting ridge caps can break away. Flashing between roof angles can become loose. And so on. That's why you must perform regular inspections. Get to know your roof so that you can immediately spot potential problems before they happen.
• Leaks on a flat roof
Just as you need to inspect a tiled roof, a flat roof requires even more vigilance. The materials used on a flat roof do not last forever and you should be aware of the expected lifespan of any work performed so that you are better informed and can make arrangements to have the roof resurfaced when the time comes. Always keep an eye on the condition of surfacing; check for cracks or peeling and any pooling of water that occurs after rains.
Regular inspections of a flat roof for potential problems will protect your home from expensive damage caused by leaks.
• Leaks on IBR roofing
No roof is infallible to leaks and no roofing material is designed to last forever. IBR roofing, unless coated and under guarantee, will eventually rust. If the roofing material itself doesn't rust, the fastenings might. Metal is metal after all and when left exposed to the elements it will rust. Any signs of rust, whether roofing material or fastenings, should be attended to immediately to prevent further damage.
If you are not the type of person to do the work yourself, contact a reputable organisation to come out on a yearly basis and perform inspections on your behalf. What you pay for this type of service is far less than what you would have to fork out to repair any damage caused by leaks.
ARE ROOF LEAKS COVERED BY INSURANCE?
As one of the most claimed for damage to a property, roof leaks happen and can occur at any time. However, did you know that your insurance company won't cover the cost of damages incurred if you haven't performed regular maintenance of the roof?
For the majority of insurance companies, no claim will be entertained if it is caused by lack of regular maintenance, and regular maintenance means replacing cracked or broken tiles, replacing missing mortar and annual maintenance of gutters and downspouts.
It is in your interests to do a twice-yearly inspection to ensure that your roof is in good condition and that gutters are free-flowing and clear of any blockages.
To prevent expensive repairs due to damage caused by leaks and a rejected insurance claim, keep a close eye out damage to the roof and gutters.