Oro Valley Emergency Roof Leak Repairs

Homeowners fear having roof leaks!  Unfortunately, roof leaks come in many shapes and sizes.  The majority of roof leaks on shingle or tile roofs occur around valleys or around flashings.  Leaks on elastomeric coated roofs come near the areas where the water flows off of the roof, especially around the scuppers. When your roof leaks it is time to call an emergency roof repair contractor to inspect your roof and find the leak. If your roof is a coated roof, we have listed a few possible areas that could be the problem.

Rubberized Roof Scupper Leaks

Flat roof scuppers usually cause a great majority of all roof leaks in Santa Fe style homes.  Scuppers are drains that lead the water off of these style roofs. The areas around scuppers often crack due to movement from the heating and cooling (expansion and contraction) of materials. When the materials expand and contract they sometimes crack or tear along the edges of the scupper.  When water flows over the cracks it flows directly into the walls of the house.  Your roofing contractor should thoroughly check for cracks around the scuppers.

Scuppers can also backflow.  Roof coating should flow from the flat roof and into the scupper a few inches.  Rain water rolls through the scupper and over the coating that is inside the scupper. The heat can cause the coating to lift off the metal scupper. If this happens, water can flow over the lifted coating and back into the roof area and slide down the wall.  While this seems impossible, it happens all the time. Oro Valley’s best roof coating specialists will understand this phenomenon and know exactly how to repair the scupper and stop the roof leaks.

Typical Areas That Leak on Elastomeric Coated Roofs

Besides the scuppers, there are a few areas that are prone to leaking. First, wherever there is a corner, a transition to a different type of roof or different level of the roof it can leak. These are areas where the expansion and contraction of materials can cause tearing or cracking in the coating. Just a small ¼” inch crack can lead to significant damage inside your home.  Other areas that are prone to cracking and leaking are under A/C jackstands, near skylights, areas where the roof paper rolls up, and along edges.  All of these areas should be checked thoroughly for cracks and tears.

How To Repair Flat Roof Leaks When It Rains

When you call a roofing contractor to do an emergency repair on a coated roof during the rain, they will use an oil-based product that will repel water.  Henry’s wet patch is one of the favorite materials. This sticky material is put on the cracked or torn area.  They will apply the material thin enough that it doesn’t cause a water dam behind the patch.  A mesh is also used on extremely difficult cracks. The mesh will hold the wet patching materials together over these larger holes.  Wet patches do not last forever. They will need to be coated with elastomeric rubberized roof coating when it dries.

These are just a few considerations for rubberized coated roofs and emergency roof repairs.  Emergency repairs on flat roofs can be accomplished during wet weather but should be completed by a roof coating specialist that understands the nature of emergency roof repairs. However, it is always best to have your roof checked before the rains! If you are in the Oro Valley area and need your roof repaired, give us a call. We will never sell you something you don’t need, and we are willing to come out during inclement weather and fix the leaky roof.  Call us today: