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Latest Articles
When to Consider Hiring a Heating and Cooling Company
The weather is not something you can control, and whenever you go outside, you are forced to layer up and adapt to the temperature. In your own...
on Mar 1, 2021
Important Roofing Regulations to Consider
Having a home you can truly enjoy that is not only liveable, but safe, sturdy, and a delight to inhabit requires more than picking out the right...
on Feb 24, 2021
What to Consider When Choosing a Furnace Service Contractor
HVAC systems are among the costliest systems that you can install in your house. Therefore, you would probably want to do all possible things for...
on Feb 19, 2021
Choosing a Reliable Furnace System for Your Home
Either way, it would be great if you can invest in something you will benefit from for a pretty long time. If that is the case, you would know that...
on Feb 19, 2021
Lawyers vs. Real Estate Agents: Who to Hire When Buying a House
Because buying a house is already so expensive, most buyers would want to spend as little extra money as possible. Consequently, some may balk at...
on Feb 18, 2021
Popular Articles
When to Use a Brush, Roller or Sponge Brush
Brushes are a good choice for painting trim and woodwork. They are also useful for cutting in the edges around the top and bottom edges and corners...
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Three Places to Spend Money on the Exterior of Your Home
When you have the exterior of your home remodeled, you are investing, time, energy and convenience into the project and you want to make sure that...
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Homemade Headboards-Make an Upholstered or Wooden Headboard
Homemade headboards can add a lot of personality to any bedroom. They can be coordinated with existing furniture and room decor or they can be the...
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Creating a Cottage Kitchen with Bead Board
Kitchen decor can range from modern and bold to elegant and elaborate by using strategic kitchen pieces. One of the most popular decorating trends...
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Gas Fireplace Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Follow these steps for diagnosing and troubleshooting Gas Fireplaces repairs. For the average DIYer, this may seem intimidating, depending on the...
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Leaky Ceilings and Telltale Signs of Ongoing Problems
by Guest on Jan 19, 2010
If you have a leak in your ceiling, it's a sure sign that water is getting into your home somewhere. Whether the problem lies in your roof, upstairs indoor plumbing pipes that run overhead downstairs, or chimney problems, you need to find the source of the problem fast to avoid water damage to your home.
Roofing Problems
There are a number of things that can go wrong on your roof that can cause water to leak into your home. If you have an older shingle roof, you might have a missing shingle that got blown off of your roof, or there might be cracks or a missing nail from the roof sheathing. There might also be a problem in one of the valleys on your roof.
If you suspect that your ceiling leak might be caused by a roofing problem, you will need to inspect your roof carefully in the area close to where the leak is occurring, Be careful if you are walking on your roof, not only to avoid falling, but also because walking on the roof can actually cause additional cracking in your roof materials. Other roofing materials commonly used include slate, concrete, or clay tile, so you want to be careful not to damage any of these materials while doing your inspection.
Flashing Problems
Another area to inspect for leaks is the flashings. If you have a roof that stops at a vertical wall, there needs to be a metal flashing to direct the water stream appropriately. These areas can be sometimes troublesome as far as leaks go. Wall step flashings, which you'll find along a vertical wall where the roof climbs against it, is another place you'll want to look for any possible holes or rusted areas that could be causing your leak. You should only be able to see a small portion of the flashing, so if you see more than that, it's a good sign of a problem. You'll also want to check any plumbing vent or furnace vent flashings a well, including checking to make sure the storm collar hasn't come loose. The flashing around the chimney is another prime spot for leaks to occur, as even a hairline crack or small hole in this area can cause water leaks.
Problems Caused by Weather
If an ice dam develops on your roof, this can cause water to back up under the shingles and flashings. This can cause water to drip inside your home once the ice thaws. You can also end up with water problems caused by rain that is driven by the wind. This can drive water under your roofing material, causing a water drip. High winds can also blow shingles completely off of your roof.
Plumbing Issues
Not all water leak problems are caused by your roof. If the ceiling leak is on the downstairs floor, and you have plumbing pipes running overhead that supply the upstairs, you'll want to check any suspect pipes or connections that run close to the area of the ceiling leak as well.
Most Recent Articles
- Aug 29, 2018 Wallpaper Versus Paint: Which is the Better Choice for Your New Home? by Sam Smith
- Jul 12, 2018 Different Drywall Types and Fire Safety by Dale Johnson
- Aug 11, 2017 How to Repair Small Foundation Cracks by Peter Ruffin
- Jul 28, 2017 3 Ways to Deal With a Popcorn Ceiling by Jason Tilton
- Jan 13, 2016 Attic Fans Cause Headaches for Plumbers by Guest
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