12 ways to solve leaking roofs

IT’S OFTEN one of the most overlooked areas of your house. But when it develops trouble, it’s one of the hardest to ignore. And now that it’s the rainy season, your roof just actually might warrant your undivided attention.

Forensic architect Froilan L. Hong, practising architect Edilberto Morcilla and Home Depot marketing manager Alvin Uy share their wisdom when it comes to roof leaks.

Metal roofs must always go with these. GI sheets must have heat insulation underneath. Hong, who wrote the book “Architects’ Guide to Climate Design: A Method for Checking Design in Relation to Climate” tells Inquirer Property that metal roofs heat up very quickly and radiates the heat toward the ceiling.

“Without insulation, the heat radiates down to the room. The heat is absorbed by the walls. Metal roofs cool down very quickly also. When the roof cools, the heat that was absorbed by the walls are released and the room remains warm. If insulation is placed under the metal roof, there will be no heat transfer to the walls and to the rooms,” explains Hong.

Regular inspection is key. Uy says that for GI roofs, rust and mechanical wear and tear caused by weather, and even by falling fruits and tree branches, can cause major dents and warping of the roof. Inspect the roof regularly before and after the typhoon season to determine if damage has been incurred. This practice would also apply to other roof materials as well.

Do the repairs immediately, especially when the holes are still small. Uy says the best way to prevent damage to roofs is to regularly inspect them and do the patch job when the holes and damaged area are still small. Make sure the gutters are free of debris and fallen tree materials such as leaves and twigs.

Screens over gutters. “When you put gutters, you should put screens or plastic nets to prevent leaves from getting into the drain,” Hong says. He adds that drains are also the favorite nesting places of birds. These will result to clogging and eventually lead to leaks.

Choose concrete gutters. Gutters abutting firewalls should be made of concrete and should be 18 inches wide to make sure it can accommodate large volumes of rainwater.

Avoid asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles capture heat and conducts the heat toward the inside of the house, Hong states.

Metal sheaths vs the rains. Hong says roof tiles would require metal sheathing underneath because prolonged rain, especially during the typhoon season, is driven by strong winds and would most likely enter the overlap of the tiles. The metal sheathing would prevent water from pen etrating the tiles, preventing leaks.

Waterproofing isn’t everything. Hong says concrete deck roofs should be poured monolithically and should not rely on waterproofing alone. Waterproofing should only be the first line of defense.

Minimize the potential source of leaks. “Improperly installed GI flashings on vertical surfaces like parapets and firewalls are also sources of leaks,” Hong observes.

Maintain ideal roof slope. A 15- to 30-degree slope of roof would be proper for our type of climate, Hong observes. Morcilla says a steeper slope would be better. The steeper the slope, the better it can withstand strong winds. “Less than 15 degrees, and the roof becomes vulnerable to the suction effect of strong winds during typhoons, thus we see some roofs being pulled off by winds during typhoons,” Morcilla adds.

Proper application of nails and screws. Morcilla shares what he describes a common sense advice: Apply or fix roof nails or screws on the top of the corrugation of the roofing sheets, rather than at the bottom or concave portion.

Don’t step on it. Morcilla says that during installation, avoid stepping on the weak portion of the roof sheets. Instead, step only on where the roof nails or screws are (at the top of the corrugations or ribs). This will avoid putting too much stress and movement on the sheets against the screws, which could become the source of leaks later on.

For more inquiries or advice, e-mail F.L. Hong Architects & Associates at [email protected], architect Morcilla at [email protected] or Home Depot at [email protected].