Roof Restoration Perth: Tips for finding, fixing and preventing a roof leak.

Perth is the quintessential Australian city. As stately as Sydney, as cool as Melbourne and as politically charged as Canberra, it’s the perfect place for people of all walks of life to settle. With stunning beaches, great weather all year round, fantastic shopping and fine dining it’s little wonder that the people of Perth are so happy to live here.

Thus, when you own a home in Perth it’s only natural that you should want to keep it in tip-top shape. A leaky roof, however, can prove disastrous to your home, opening it up to the possibility of rain and invasion by all manner of furred and feathered critters. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some ways in which you can find, fix and prevent a leaking roof…

Finding a roof leak

Finding a roof leak can be tricky, especially in the glorious Perth weather. Checking for leaks is an important way to test the health of your roof and it can be challenging in the absence of rain. Thank goodness for garden hoses!

Climb to your roof with your longest garden hose and spend a good few minutes ensuring that the roof is thoroughly sodden with your garden hose. If possible, leave the water running.

Now climb up into your roof space with a powerful torch or lamp and carry out the following checks:

• Check your roof decking and rafters in the roof space above any damp spots you have noticed in your ceiling.
• Follow any water stains or damp spots up the rafters or decking to the highest point.
• Measure down from the peak of the roof to the highest point of the leak and from the point at the gable’s end to the leak.
• Switch off the water and leave the roof to dry. Head up to the roof, and transfer the measurements to the roof, allowing for any overhang on the end of the roof.
• Examine the roofing closely for signs of leakage at the location you’ve measured.
• If you can’t see the source, keep looking higher up as water can run down behind the tiles or tin, before emerging in the roof space decking.

Fixing a roof leak

Once you’ve found the source of the leak, mark out the area with chalk. This will make it easier to find again when you come back to it. The way to fix your leak will depend on the nature of your roofing, whether tiles or tin (Colorbond).

For example, if your roof is tiled then the leak is likely caused by broken and/ or missing tiles. Replacing these or patching up a clean break with roofing sealant should prevent further leakage.

If you notice that there is widespread or significant damage, or you are unsure about the true cause, then it’s best to call in a professional.

Preventing roof leaks

Getting regular roofing inspections is the surest way to prevent the possibility of roof leaks. However, there are also steps which homeowners can take to further mitigate their risk such as:

• Make sure gutters and downpipes are well maintained
• Keep an eye on trees and bushes that hang over your home
• Make sure the flashings around your vents and skylights are tight
• Make sure roof vents are clear of dead leaves etc. and unblocked

How we can help

If you find that your roof leak is beyond your ability to repair, you’d like a roof inspection or you just can’t find a leak no matter how hard you try, we’d be delighted to lend you the benefit of our years of roofing expertise. Get in touch with us today!