Roof:
1. Ways to Inspect for a Roof Leak.
A common cause of leaks is from cracked or damaged chimneys. Look for loose brick, cracked mortar joints, and a solid metal or concrete cap on top.
Look for water stains on the inside ceiling, and on the beams in an attic. Beams that have been exposed to water will become weakened and cause a sag in the roof.
Look for any visible damage such as cracks, tears, splits. These will most likely lead to leaking.
Closely inspect all roof penetrations (i.e. skylights, chimneys, vents, etc). Look for signs that the cement is separating from the surface, especially at a vertical penetration of the roof.
Check areas where different materials meet such as metal to brick, shingles to metal, etc. These surfaces expand and contract at varying rates and will pull away from each other. Make sure the seals between materials are tight, not loose.
You can attempt to find a leak from the inside by using a flashlight and tracing the leak uphill.
2. How to Protect/Maintain the Roof.
Inspect your roof at least twice a year. Especially proceeding harsh weather conditions and between seasons.
Roofs will weather under the heat/sunlight. It can essentially be ˇ°bakedˇ± and become dry and brittle (alligatoring), hence it is more likely to split and eventually leak. Metal components of the roof can rust and corrode, and asphalt-based plastic cement used for seals around pipes, vents, and other penetrations may deteriorate over time and leak. You can apply a coating to some roofs to create a layer of waterproof protection.
3. Ice Dams and Leaks.
Leaks caused by ice dams occur when warm, heated air from the home begins to migrate through the insulation and into the attic area of the house. Without proper ventilation, this warm air collects in the attic area and may warm the underside of the roof decking.
Cold outside temperatures keep the top outside layer of moist.