Roof Leaks

Intersections of roofing material, degraded fixings and flashing are the first spots we check when we see the tell tale signs of roof leaks. They can be detected during our visual inspection of ceilings and roof exteriors. However, we then follow up with an inspection of the roof interior to follow the trail of leaks if they are difficult to detect.

Dark or damp patches in ceilings and any water detected travelling through ceiling penetrations like light fittings, should trigger immediate investigation. These leaks usually top the list of urgent items to rectify. Even small leaks can create damage to ceiling linings, adjacent wall linings and contribute to mouldy damp conditions and electrical hazards.

While it may be as simple as a cracked or loose tiles, degraded grout, flashing that has failed or deteriorated fixings, sometimes the leak is also a fault in construction which needs to be investigated in detail.

Getting onto a roof can be dangerous, so take care and if you think its risky just give the Jim’s Roofing team a call, it’s what I did when a severe storm dislodged ridge capping and tiles at our home!

Minor and usually temporary repairs can be effected by relocating dislodged tiles, applying silicone sealant, repairing and replacing fixtures. Anything more really needs a Registered Builder or reputable roofing contractor to resolve. If you need some guidance check out www.jims.net and you can request a quote online.

But, whatever you do, don’t delay, a little leak today only takes one decent downpour to wreak havoc to your home.

Blocked Guttering

We have seen some of the most amazingly blocked gutters you could ever imagine! This one looks like a landscaping feature rather than a gutter, some of those like the one shown here are actually asbestos containing materials which are likely to last for a long time yet!

The majority of problems are simply a lack of maintenance, failing to deal with debris accumulating in the gutters (usually leaves).

A simple job to overlook in a busy lifestyle – I’ll confess we have done nothing to even check our gutters, let alone clean them out in the past two years!

A quick annual check should be done in the lead up to winter each year, to deal with autumn leaf downfalls and clear them out before the worst of the weather hits. If you are up north, then plan to be cleaning your gutters out as part of your annual pre-cyclone clean up in September or October.

Blocked gutters are the sleeping giant of water leaks. What’s the worst that will happen? They’ll overflow and run down the face of the building? Sure no major problem, but left unresolved it will cause:

• Wood rot where timber is excessively exposed to wet, damp conditions
• Lateral water overflow into adjacent roof and ceiling space
• Development of rust within the gutters
• Health hazards related to pooled or standing water, including a great breeding environment for mozzies and their mates!
• Fire hazards are also created in some locations
• Creation of an unmanaged damp environment against the perimeter edge of the house

It may take years for these problems to develop, so they will creep up on you but there are plenty of opportunities to prevent the problem occurring in the first place.

There are gutter guard systems that can be installed and any number of home and garden maintenance providers would do it for you. It can be resolved with a single call to 131546 if you’re stuck where to start. It’s a small investment that will stave off bigger problems!

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