Leaking Roof!
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Help! There is a portion of the roof that is leaking water this morning. Can anyone give some quick advice? Can I repair just the leaky section or should I replace the whole roof? Tar & Gravel or Foam? Which contractors would you recommend?
Currently we have a tar & gravel roof that is approximately 11 years old I believe. It is a flat roof Eichler in Cupertino we bought just last year.
Contractor recommendations should be sent directly to jerrywei AT gmail.com, or can be posted on the Rec Room chat area of the Chatterbox lounge
First things first....put a bucket under the leak and hide your wallet until you know why you have a leak.
Let's think about this for a moment. It has rained a lot this season and your roof just started to drip. Is it dripping near a skylight, behind the dryer, near an exterior wall or out in the center of a room? When was the last time you cleared the roof drains to allow water to get off of your roof without backing up and becoming a large lake? Are there drain screens in place and are the working to keep the drains flowing freely. Was the roof 'repaired' for sale a year ago? Roofs typically don't 'decide' one morning to start leaking all of a sudden...but it can happen.
Your tar roof is at the average age for replacement but that doesn't mean that it must be a roof problem. If it is time for a new roof, weigh your replacement options carefully. You'll definitely want insulation with whatever roof system you choose. If the leak is due in part to a design or a construction defect (I know....there aren't any Eichler design defects...just wanted to make sure I have your full attention) ie. work done after the house was built etc. correct it before the new roof goes on.
Check out the roofing system and the company you select thoroughly. Only after you have done all of your homework, then
take out your wallet (if you can remember were you hid it).
The average homeowner only buys 2 roofs over a lifetime according to surveys. This doesn't seem to jive with other numbers we have seen. But consider this... roof technology has change a lot in the decades since your home was built. Even if you purchased a roof before....odds are that things have changed enough that the homework you did to choose your last system is worth about as much as your leaking roof.
Hope this help. As always please call with any questions.
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