2015-08-13

How To Locate A Leak

Water leaks can be the cause of serious frustration. At the first sign of damage, locate the source and find a proper roof repair solution in Canterbury.

Seeing the signs of a leak can be fairly obvious, but the big problem is that water can travel a long way from the point of entry. The actual leak in the roof may be nowhere near where you are seeing water marks and dripping. In order to find the source, you have to think like water.

First of all, go into your attic or roof space if it is safe to do so during the day. Be careful to only step on supported beams, not insulation. Locate the spot on the attic floor which is directly over where you noticed a ceiling or wall leak in the house. Keep in mind that water travels to the lowest point. It often enters through a cracked or missing tile, runs along the sheathing until it can find a place to drip downward. Once you have located the pool of water that is dripping through your ceiling, shine a torch up along the roof of the attic, and see if you can spot any moisture. In theory, if you keep travelling upwards, you should be able to see a speck of sunlight where the tiles have been damaged and allow the water to come through. In reality, the damage may not be so obvious, and the gap may be so minute that no sunlight gets through. Also take a closer look at other potential entry points for water, including chimneys and skylights.

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If it is presently raining, then the leak should be easier to spot. Place a bucket beneath it and get to work on finding a fix. If it is a dry day, and hasn’t rained in some time, then you may be able to spot some discolouration along timber rafters where there has been a consistent trickle of water.

If all else fails, then it is time to perform a roof leak test. This should not be a first resort, as it requires quite a bit of effort, is more dangerous, and also involves you potentially causing damage when water is forced through the leak. The procedure involves you recruiting a friend to assist. One of you will stay within the attic, with a torch, ladder and bucket keeping an eye out for any water that begins to drip through. The other person will need to climb up onto the roof with a hose, and slowly flood the roof surface in a systematic fashion. It is important that the person on the roof works from side to side, beginning at the gutter and working their way uphill. We know that water runs to the lowest point. so beginning at the top could see the water find the leak and drip down, but you will have no idea where it is still because it is far away from where you were pouring.

By working slowly along, the person in the attic will be able to pinpoint the exact location of the leak and call out to you. Once this is found, either mark it with chalk on the roof surface, or the person in the attic can climb up and poke a nail through so that it protrudes out the other side. Keep in mind that a wet roof is a slippery one, and so this procedure should only be performed by those that are confident in what they are doing. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and call in the assistance of a Qualified Roof Repair Professional in Canterbury from Coghlan Roofing.

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