Have water damage and a leak but can’t find the source? It’s possible that your chimney up on the roof is the issue! Luckily, once you’re able to identify where the water is coming from, it’s easier than you might think to repair more common forms of this issue, whether you undertake them yourself or call on roofing experts to handle the leak.
Pool Your Efforts into Repairing Chimney Leaks
Begin by seeking out the running water, but if you can’t seem to locate its origin, try to remove any suspect shingles or call a professional to do that for you to avoid potential injury. If you do try to fix the problem yourself, then look for where there may be discoloration, water stains, or rotting wood, which are all highly suggestive of where the leak may have begun.
“The first thing to look for is any roof penetrations… Penetrations can include plumbing and roof vents, chimneys, dormers or anything else that projects through the roof.” These are very common and are the primary cause of leaks in chimneys; it’s actually not likely that an older roof “simply” developed a leak on its own. To seek out these disturbances, take a trip up into the attic, if you have one. While there, use a light to search for above mentioned symptoms (mold, etc.). If you can’t get into your attic, it means you need to move onto the roof; again, always take safe precautions when doing anything on the roof.
It sounds counter-productive, but using a hose to water near the chimney can help you locate the leak. If you spray particular areas at a time, you may be able to determine at that time where the water is coming through and attend to it. You’ll likely need someone else present to help you to look for drips in the process, since it’d be hard to go through the entire endeavor by yourself.
A potential location for chimney leaks is one of the “vent boots,” or a “gasket-type plumbing vent.” Usually, the issue is that there are cracks in the vents or that the nails are either loosened or gone completely. To remedy this, check around their bases and ” the rubber boot surrounding the pipe.” If you detect any tears, you can be a new boot to keep water from leaking, and if there are problems with the nails, “replace them with the rubber-washered screws used for metal roofing systems.” Most of the solutions here can be purchased from a home improvement or hardware store and then applied easily.
There are a number of potential causes for the leak that’s coming from your chimney, but most of them can be taken care of with some supplies and careful work. If you still aren’t sure how to find the leak, or aren’t comfortable attending to it yourself, call your roofing experts. For more information on roof cleaning, or for advice, services, or for a free estimate for your roof, get in touch with Cox Roofing today.
Cox Roofing:
Cox Roofing is a full-service, certified roofing contractor providing residential and commercial roofing services to the state of Maryland, with particular focus on Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Harford County and Howard County. We pride ourselves on our personalized service which transforms your property into the residence or business of your dreams. Get in touch for your free estimate today.
