Water damage in Vancouver doesn’t always come from flooding, but sometimes from the upside! If your roof leaks, it could cause significant damage to your home every time it rains. You might notice water damage stains along a wall or water damage on the ceiling that can be circular with a brown ring.

Here’s what you need to know.

Major Causes of Leaky Roofs

1. Damaged shingles

Every time a shingle is damaged, or ripped off of your roof, that creates opportunities for water to get in.  There are layers beneath the shingles which help keep water out, but over time, they’ll fail.  Then the dripping starts.

2. Valleys

Is there a place on your roof where two surfaces meet in a downward “v” angle?  If so, that’s a valley – and it’s extremely susceptible to water damage because rainwater is funneled into it.  If your roof has valleys, they need to be constantly monitored and maintained.

3. Warped flashing

Flashing is a metal (usually thin steel) layer installed at critical junctures in your roof, such as places where the roofing meets a vertical wall.  Flashing is normally stable, but environmental issues such as fluctuating temperatures can cause it to warp.  If it does, it creates a hole which water can pass through.

4. Roof features

Any feature which breaks up the roof will be extra prone to leaks around the edges.  Skylights are particularly notorious for this.  Not only are their edges prone to water leaks, but they can encourage condensation that also causes drips.

What to Do If You Have A Roof Leak

Water damage in your Vancouver home is no joke.  The longer it goes on, the more it can begin to undermine the upper structure of your house, such as weakening support beams.  Also, timber or drywall which has become soaked through is a magnet for mold – including toxic black mold.

Left unchecked, a leaky roof can turn into a genuine health hazard!

After discovering a leak, the most important thing to do is to move vulnerable objects away from it so they don’t continue to get soaked.  In particular, make sure to move all electronics away from the leak!

Then, you have two phone calls to make.  One will be to a roofer, to repair the damage allowing the leak to happen.  The other should be to a reputable Vancouver water damage repair company, who can clean up everything below the roof.

Plus, make sure to contact your home insurance company to ask about filing a claim for the repair work!

Malkin Cleaners Knows Water Damage Cleanup

Since 1923, Vancouver has relied on us for fire and water damage repair, including mold removal.  Don’t let the damage get worse!  Call Malkin Cleaners ASAP.