No homeowner wants to deal with a roof leak. But if you’ve got an asphalt shingle roof, leak repair services are something that you will likely need at some point in your roof’s lifetime. With so many potential causes and solutions to roof leaks, though, it can be hard to know where to start.
PITCH Roofing is a full-service roofing company made up of veteran local roofers. Today, we want to talk about why your asphalt shingle roof could be leaking and how we’ll fix these issues to get your roof back to 100%. Keep reading to see what our local roofing pros can do to fix your roof!
Damaged Asphalt Shingles
The most common way for a shingle roof to start leaking is through damage to the shingles. This can come from a lot of different factors, such as:
- Winds from a tropical storm or hurricane removing or tearing your shingles
- UV rays causing your shingles to crack and curl
- Trapped moisture on your roof leading to rot and mold growth, which weakens your shingles
- Improper installation resulting in poorly-installed shingles that don’t keep out the elements
Whatever the cause, damaged asphalt shingles cannot keep your roof safe. While your roofing system has a water-resistant underlayment beneath the shingles, this protective layer cannot keep out everything. Over time, water will eat away at your underlayment until it completely penetrates into your roof and causes a leak.
Asphalt Shingle Roof Leak Repair for Damaged Shingles
The good news is that replacing a handful of shingles is a quick and easy repair. All your contractors will need to do is tear off the damaged shingles and install new ones. During this process, they will take special care to ensure that your new shingles are the same type and color as your old ones and that your new shingles are properly installed and line up with the rest of your roof.
While this is a simple roof repair, we do not recommend trying to DIY this. For one thing, there is a risk of you accidentally damaging your roof while trying to install new shingles. But even if you do the job right, it’s possible that you could void your roof warranties by working on your roof instead of hiring a contractor. Check the details of your warranty policy before doing any work on your roof!
Damage to Pipe Boot Flashing
Almost every shingle roof has a pipe boot. This is flashing surrounding a pipe vent, a tube sticking out of your roof, usually over your kitchen or bathroom. This vent helps balance your home’s plumbing and prevent leaks. Surrounding the vent is a section of flashing designed to prevent water from entering your home through the vent.
Over time, the sun’s UV rays and thermal contractions can weaken the flashing around your vent. This creates the opportunity for water to slide through these new cracks and gaps and enter your roofing system. Flashing around your vents will not last as long as your shingles, so asphalt shingle roof leak repair services will be necessary for most homeowners.
Fixing Flashing Around Your Vents
Generally, this issue is easy to identify because water will come in directly below wherever your pipe is. And fixing it is also fairly straightforward. To prevent water from getting past your flashing, our roofers will install a rubber collar around the boot to cover any damaged sections.
This collar should be strong enough to last for the remaining lifespan of your roof. Alternatively, you could have your contractors replace the vent entirely. This is not the usual course of action, though, because replacing the pipe is a much more expensive and involved roof repair.
Problems with Roof Flashing
Flashing isn’t just installed around your vents. Metal flashing is common at various points on a shingle roof, including valleys and around skylights and chimneys. These thin strips of metal help direct water off your roof and safeguard the integrity of your shingles. But over time, they can lose their efficacy.
There are many ways for roof flashing to become damaged or stop working properly. Some of the most common ways for flashing to be damaged include:
- Improper installation
- Hail or storm debris hitting the flashing at high speeds
- High winds tearing off or weakening flashing
- Warping from temperature fluctuations over the years
Regardless of how the damage happens, you can expect damaged flashing to let a lot of water into your home. For this reason, you should seek out asphalt shingle roof leak repair services as soon as you know that you have an issue with your flashing.
Repairing Damaged Flashing
Exactly how a contractor fixes your flashing will depend on the type of flashing you have and how it was damaged. Across the board, however, you can expect this to be a major repair. Replacing flashing is complicated and time-intensive, which increases leak repair costs.
The job can be especially expensive if there is severe water damage to your roof. If this is the case, then the parts of your roof surrounding the damaged flashing may need to be completely replaced. This means removing shingles, your underlayment, and even your roof decking, to replace them all with new materials.
Get a Free Estimate for Asphalt Shingle Roof Leak Repair Services
At PITCH, we know how to handle your roof leak repair job. As veteran Florida roofers, we’re up-to-date on local best practices as well as county ordinances. This means we know the best ways to get your roof ready for the worst that Florida’s weather can dish out. To get started and see what we can do for you, all you need to do is reach out to us for a free, no-obligation estimate.
For your free shingle roof leak repair estimate, you can call us at 727-677-4824 or schedule your estimate online. We’ll come to your property, inspect your roof, and create a personalized plan to fix your leak. And with our estimates, there’s never any guesswork. We provide itemized, comprehensive quotes that cover every part of the roofing job so you know that you’re paying for a complete roof repair, not a quick patch job.
Give PITCH Roofing a chance to earn your business and see for yourself how easy roofing done right can be. When you’re dealing with leaks in your asphalt shingle roof, you need local professionals you can trust. Call us today, and we’ll show you why we’re a top-rated Florida roofing company!
Heather Ware is an In-House Roofing Specialist at PITCH Roofing. Working daily alongside our internal roofing teams, she translates complex Florida building codes and roofing techniques into clear, actionable advice for homeowners. With 4 years of experience in the Florida roofing industry, her goal is to ensure property owners have the exact facts they need to protect their investments.
