Leaky Roof

Causes water staining and mold growth

In many parts of the US, rain is a fairly consistent phenomenon.  Some months may bring more, others less, but by and large, liquid precipitation is spread out throughout the year.  For more arid regions, like southern California, rain can be hard to come by during the late spring, entirety of summer, and all of the fall, too.  Indeed, the rainy season, which runs from December to April officially, is the time where most areas of southern California receive more than 90% of their annual rainfall total.  December was certainly quite wet throughout much of the area, and, historically, February is the month when the most rain tends to fall.

With that in mind, it seemed like the perfect time to discuss rain in the context of getting into your home, causing water damage, and the dangers of subsequent mold growth.  It’s not too late to take steps to avoid water intrusion into your home.  Knowing what to do when a leak or intrusion event does occur is equally critical, since the proper response and steps can help to limit the long-term damage and danger.

So, let’s take a brief look at the problems with rain, how it causes water intrusion, leads to water damage, and can cause mold growth.  We’ll then address some of the signs and symptoms of mold growth, so that you can spot it for yourself.  The health consequences of mold exposure will also be discussed.  Finally, we’ll highlight the need for inspections when you suspect mold growth, and then touch on some of the remediation options to remove any water-damaged materials and mold growth from your home.

 

Top 10 Roof Problems Obvious or unforeseen, roof leaks are always a painful and significant expense. This is not a self diagnosis, but mostly a informative list of the problems most building occupants find themselves fighting.

1. Roof Leaks – Moisture Peaks – With any type of roof, no matter what type, it is going to leak someday. Leaks occur for a number of reasons. Interrupting the continuous membrane of the roof, metal flashings, usually results in the ability of water to penetrate the structure. 95% of roof leaks are found to originate in these areas..
2. Blow offs and the uplift resistance – Leaks are not the only thing that can happen from improperly installed flashings. Hot Roofs cause blow offs and other issues. Seams made with a cold adhesives do not have the same integrity that a cured adhesive. If the roof experiences adverse weather conditions before the adhesive cures, then uplift can damage the roof membrane.
3. Poor Installation and unsatisfactory workmanship
4. A faulty installation can dramatically decrease the ability of a roof to shed water. These common problems will crop up at some point in the life of the roof. Life expectancy can be a overall result of clean, dry and primed areas during installation. Torch applied roof rarely have the materials relaxed before installation causing tension and system performance failures over time. This will result in wrinkles, leaks, fish mouths, and blisters.
5. Lack of Maintenance
6. Many reasons can be cited why not to neglect your roof. By ignoring a series of easy and preventative steps you put yourself and your family in harms way. Perform routine inspections on you home. You do not have to be a professional to inspect a roof. If you notice ponding water, clumped debris, of improper pitching, then you may be in at the cross roads of minor home repair andonding Water
7. A problem associated with the improper drainage of water on a roof top, known as ponding water. This ‘incidental ponding water’ can occur to all types of roofs. Pro-active steps should be taken when roof installation occurs. Ponding water mainly affects hot mop roofs that have an additional membrane(s) applied. If inconsistent application occurs, then ponding will occur as well as a voided warranty. HVAC units installed without condensation drain lines could be the culprit of ponding water. Always inspect thoroughly. Check drains, rain gutters, and run off making sure that they are free of debris.
8. Punctures – Post Installation
9. For all building owners, but especially poly-urethane foam and single ply, foot traffic is damaging and problematic. Heavy foot traffic can cause scrapes or tears in the membrane and damage the substrate below. In addition to leaks, this can cause premature aging of the entire roof. Limit traffic on the roof and always perform cursory inspection after work or maintenance have been completed. Roof system performance is always compromised when adding new components to an existing roof. Eventual problems will occur if scheduled maintenance issues are ignored.
10. Safety – Application of a hot mop roof requires strict adherence to safety procedures. Over heating the asphalt can result in burns and fires in the kettle and on the roof top. Fire extinguishers should be present.
11. Improper Repair – Using materials that are not intended for roof repairs can cause long term and or permanent damage to the roof. On of the most common improper roof repairs is associated with metal roofs. People go to the roof with caulking and plastic roof cement, not knowing that the materials are intended for a different purpose. You have the small problem made worse by improper repair. Follow the manufacturers repair guidelines to extend the life of your roof top.
12. Shrinkage – Single ply roof types are all unique. Chances are if you walk up on to a single ply roof top you will find evidence of shrinkage. Two highly observed occurrences on single ply roof tops are the pulling of flashings due to the shrinking membrane and the surface cracking and associated with the perimeter and perimeter flashing.
13. Blistering – Blistering, ridging, splitting and surface erosion can eventually lead to bigger problems. Hot Mop Roof tops can be over heated and cause blistering along with the slipping of felts and accelerated aging. If the membrane is not attached properly then the delamination of the building materials will occur. During the installation of spray poly-urethane foam systems, application over a wet substrate can cause severe blistering.

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Professional Mold Inspections from FunGuy Inspections

If you live in the greater Los Angeles area, and suspect or are concerned about mold growth or water damage in your home, then you need a professional mold inspection.  FunGuy Inspections is one of the leading inspection companies in the area, offering mold and other home hazard inspections.  They’re reliable, professional, and affordable, with both residential and commercial clients across the greater Los Angeles area.

FunGuy Inspections are experts in mold inspection, testing, and corrective action planning.  They use the latest equipment, methods, and their years of experience to assess and inspect structures for water intrusion, the intrusion vectors, and any mold growth that may be present.  If mold is found, they can swab it and send it off to the lab for analysis, to confirm it is mold, along with the species.  This feeds into the remediation plan, and will allow you to coordinate with a remediation contractor to resolve your problem.

Unlike some mold inspection companies, FunGuy Inspections is independent, and does not directly offer remediation services.  As a result, their only vested interest is in helping you identify the problem, the root cause, and provide you with information for a remediation solution.  They have no financial interest in up-selling you on remediation services, and no conflicts of interest as a result.

All of this means that when you choose FunGuy Inspections, before or after heavy rains, water damage, or suspected mold growth, you’re going to get professional service, results backed by science, and a definitive answer on the status of mold growth in your home.  In short, you get your money’s worth, and – more importantly – you get the peace of mind knowing if rain water has wreaked havoc in your home, or if you’ve made it through the rainy season safely for another year.

Fun Guy Inspection & Consulting LLC 9800 D Topanga Cyn Blvd. #523 Chatsworth, Ca 91311

PHONE: (866) 674-7541 FAX: (310) 933-0242

E-mail us: info@funguyinspections.com