This gloomy Adelaide winter weather always brings a few issues around the house to our attention. Something that always seems to pop up when the weather is at its wettest is a leaking roof.
The seep of water through the roof cavity can be caused by a lot of different factors, including moss growth, structural damage, breaking tiles, substance build up, severe weather conditions and the associated damages or simply general wear and tear and roof deterioration.
If you’re looking for plumbers in Adelaide, Mott Plumbing will locate any leaks or damage in your roof, fixing those issues, and identifying future problems to minimise damage before it begins.
Mott Plumbing specialise in
Fixing the common causes of roof leaks:
Plumbing vent boots – cracked gaskets, torn rubber seals and missing or loose nails are a sure sign of a leak.
Roof vents – when plastic vents crack or the seams on metal vents break, you’ll need to replace the fitting to stop water getting in.
Walls and dormers – Water can get in through cracks and knotholes or around window fittings, and caulk can get old and crack. However, this might also be a sign that your gutters need cleaning. Mott Plumbing offers a gutter cleaning service in Adelaide to make sure your gutters are working at their best. Give us a call on 8462 9888 to book a time for us to come and have a look.
Old age – simple wear and tear of an older roof can cause leaks.
Wild weather – storms can blow tiles loose and debris can cause localised damage to your roof.
Rust – As a roof rusts, it also starts to let water in.
Signs that point towards a leak:
If you’ve started noticing a creeping water stain growing across your ceiling, water running down inside walls, or the tell-tale sound of dripping when all the taps are off, you probably have a leak in your roof.
These signs might not seem too serious in themselves, but the dangers go beyond aesthetic worries. Leaving a roof leak for too long can cause mould, rotting framework, destroyed insulation and damaged ceilings, all of which can be costly to replace. Worse still, water in your ceiling can be an electrical hazard, so it’s best to block that leak up as soon as you spot it.
How to find the leak in your roof:
So you’ve discovered the leak and now you need to find the actual site of the problem. This is the hard bit.
If you have attic access, the easiest way to find the culprit is to track it down with a torch. The light should reflect off the water and give you clues. If you can’t get into the ceiling, you’ll need to go on to the roof to look for signs.
After you’ve checked directly above where you noticed the leak start, start looking further up the roof. Water has a sneaky habit of travelling down beams and pipes, and ending up coming through to your ceiling far from where it originally got in.
One common way of searching is to run a hose over sections of the roof. Have a helper call out to you when they see leaking start. This process can often take over an hour so be prepared to be patient.
Fix a leaky roof:
So you’ve found the culprit of your leak. Great! Now you just need to block it up so that water can’t get through.
You’ll need to create a watertight barrier. For smaller holes, a good quality sealant might do the trick. The bigger the problem, the more effort will be required to repair it. Cracked and broken vents will likely need to be replaced, although inserting metal flashing beneath the problem areas is ok for a short term solution.
Let a Professional Plumber do it all for you:
Trying to diagnose, find, and then fix a roof leak can be a frustrating, difficult and dangerous task, especially during an Adelaide winter. Leaks can be elusive, and your roof can be slippery.
For an Adelaide plumber that can locate any leaks or damage in your roof, fix all the issues and make sure that you’re protected against future problems, give the team at Mott Plumbing a call. We’ll look after it while you stay dry and warm inside.
