3 Most Common Roof Leak Locations

It protects your home and everything in it. From that point of view, your roof might be the most important part of the structure of your home. But most homeowners don’t give their roof a second thought, until the water starts dripping on their heads.

To help you learn more about your roof, and give it the attention it deserves, in our last blog post we told you about 7 Most Common Causes of Roof Leaks. By knowing how roof leaks happen, you can take precautions to help prevent them.

Roof Leaks Happen in Certain Places More Than Others

In addition to the potential causes of roof leaks, it also helps to know where they are more likely to occur so that you can pay more attention to those spots.

1. The Chimney

By far the most common place for a roof leak is around where your chimney stack goes through the roof. There could be a number of reasons for leaking at the chimney, including cracked or bent flashing and/or cracked or missing caulking and sealant around the base of the chimney. Also, if the chimney’s mortar has not been pointed recently, water could get in through the openings.

2. Skylights

The popularity of skylights has the unfortunate symptom of attracting unqualified companies and installers looking to take advantage of a hot market. Again, your roof protects your home and everything in it, including your family. Installing a skylight means cutting a big hole in the roof. If the skylight is not installed properly, you can suffer ongoing leaks around it.

3. Roof Valleys

If your roof has any “L” intersections, a metal “valley” would have been installed by your roofer to channel water down the intersection. It is very important that the valley is properly installed throughout its entire length. If not, a leak can occur at any point along the valley.

Hopefully you never suffer a damaging roof leak. The best way to maintain your roof and reduce the chances of leak is to get a complete inspection done twice a year by a professional roofer.