Hey There! Let’s Get You On Your Way To More Claim And Less Pain.

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Hey There! Let’s Get You On Your Way To More Claim And Less Pain.

YOUR ALL-INCLUSIVE GUIDE TO LEAKY ROOFS

Your Roof Had One Job

It’s Hard To Deny That Your Roof Is The Most Important Part Of Your Home. After All, It’s The Part That Gives You The Most Shelter From The Elements. It Shields You From Rain, Snow, And Hail, All While Helping Keep The Interior At An Acceptable Temperature.

But unfortunately, it’s not impervious to damage. And over time, even the most robust roof is probably going to start leaking. We don’t know when, and we don’t know how, but we have a pretty good idea where it will happen. See below for some common locations where leaks often occur.

Leak Locations

Most roof leaks begin in fairly predictable locations. They can occur in ventilation components, or in structural components that are damaged by weather events. Touch a spot to learn more about how leaks can form there.

Attic Vent

 Although these vents are angled to prevent water from getting in, the strong winds in a rainstorm can sometimes blow water into them.

 

Exhaust Vent

Commonly, exhaust vents include a damping system that is supposed to keep water from channeling in. However, dampers can sometimes leak and often fail over time.

 

Eaves

Roof overhangs are not very aerodynamic, and can take significant damage in a strong storm. They’re often the spark that causes a roof to detach. Most eaves leaks occur when flashing or gutters are damaged, allowing moisture to soak into the trusses beneath.

 

Gables

Gables go against the regular slope of a roof, creating angles that capture, rather than deflect wind and rain. This makes them more susceptible to having cracks or seams open that can allow water into the roof.

 

Hip

Like any ridge or valley on a roof, hips are more susceptible to leaks because they represent a change in the direction of roof tiles or shingles. That requires a seam to be formed between the angles. Hips are also more exposed because they must take winds from more directions than flat areas.

Ridge

Like hips and valleys, tiles and shingles must be seamed at ridges. Weakness in the seam or exposure to winds from various directions can weaken the ridge and allow water into the seam.

 

Valley

In addition to requiring a seam in the tile or shingles like ridges and hips, valleys are also natural channels for both rain and wind, making them prime locations for roof leaks to occur.

 

Roof Types

Shingle

For angled roofs, shingles are usually the least expensive option. Shingles are made of a variety of materials which vary in strength and durability. While shingles are relatively easy to install or replace, they are also easily damaged by extreme weather, and are therefore susceptible to leaks.

Tile

Tile is both more durable and more expensive than shingles. The heavy, concrete tiles are interlocked to each other, making them more weather-resistant, but they are still subject to breakage and are susceptible to leaks that form at seams, such as ridges and valleys, or at any points where water can make its way under the tiles.

Flat

Generally more common in commercial rather than residential buildings, flat roofs are built with a variety of different materials and techniques to make them waterproof. While flat roofs are not as vulnerable to high winds, they are not able to quickly shed water, which often makes them more susceptible to leaking. And because there are no focus points of vulnerability (see above), it is often difficult to determine where the point of the breach is located.

Metal

Metal roofs are durable and relatively expensive. The metal sheeting is generally better at absorbing impacts from hail or windborne debris than shingles or tile, but seams between the sheets are still vulnerable to ingress by water. And because water can channel the length of seams and get beneath the metal sheets, it can be difficult to trace the location of the leak on a metal roof.

Am I Insured?

The good news is that roofs are so essential that they are usually well-covered by homeowners or business insurance policies.

The bad news is that insurance companies don’t make money by paying out on claims, which means they are going to do their best to reject as much of your claim as possible.

That’s why you need roofleak.com when your roof starts leaking. We make insurers pay you the maximum that your claim deserves.

TIME PERIODBILLION-DOLLAR DISASTERSEVENTS/YEARCOSTPERCENT OF TOTAL COSTCOST/YEARDEATHSDEATHS/YEAR
1980s (1980-1989)292.9$178.1B9.5%$17.8B2,870287
1990s (1990 - 1999)535.3$274.0B14.6%$27.4B3,045305
2000s (2000-2009)626.2$519.0B27.7%$51.9B3,091309
2010s (2010-2019)11911.9$810.5B43.2%$81.1B5,217522
Last 5 Years (2016 - 2020)8116.2$606.9B32.3%$121.4B3,969794
Last 3 Years (2018 -2020)5016.7$234.3B12.5%$78.1B553184
Last Year (2020)2222.0$95.0B5.1%$95.0B262262
All Years2857.0$1,876.6B100.0%$45.8B14,485353

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2021). https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/, DOI: 10.25921/stkw-7w73

Leakopedia

Algae

Rooftop fungus that can leave dark stains on roofing.

Angled Fasteners

Roofing nails and staples driven into decks at angles not parallel to the deck.

Asphalt

A bituminous waterproofing agent used in various types of roofing materials.

ASTM

The American Society for Testing and Materials. Organization that sets standards for a wide variety of materials, including roofing.

Blistering

Bubbles or pimples in roofing materials. Usually moisture related. In shingles blisters are caused by either moisture under the material or moisture trapped inside the material

Blow-Offs

When shingles are subjected to high winds, and are forced off a roof deck.

Buckling

When a wrinkle or ripple affects shingles or their underlayments.

Cupping

When shingles are improperly installed over an existing roof or are over-exposed, they may form a curl or cup. May also be due to a manufacturing defect.

Deck

The substrate over which roofing is applied. Usually plywood, wood boards, or planks.

Dormer

A raised roof extending out of a larger roof plane.

Drip Edge

An installed lip that keeps shingles up off the deck at edges, and extends shingles out over eaves and gutters, and prevents.

End Laps

When installing rolled products in roofing, the area where a roll ends on a roof, and is overlapped by the next section of rolled material.

Exposure

The area on any roofing material that is left exposed to the elements.

Fasteners

Nails or staples used to secure roofing to the deck.

Fiberglass Mat

Fibers condensed into strong, resilient mats for use in roofing materials.

Flange

Metal pan extending up or down a roof slope around flashing pieces. Usually at chimneys and plumbing vents.

Flashing

Materials used to waterproof a roof around any projections.

Gable Roof

Traditional roof style; two peaked roof planes meeting at a ridge line of equal size.

Granules

Crushed rock that is coated with a ceramic coating and fired, used as top surface on shingles.

High Nailing

When shingles are nailed or fastened above the manufacturer’s specified nail location.

Hip Legs

The down-slope ridges on hip roofs.

Hip Roof

A roof with four roof planes coming together at a peak and four separate hip legs.

“L” Flashing

Continuous metal flashing consisting of several feet of metal. Used at horizontal walls, bent to resemble an “L”.

Laminated Shingles

Shingles made from two separate pieces that are laminated together. Also called dimensional shingles and architectural shingles.

Laps

The area where roll roofing or rolled underlayments overlap one another during application (see also side laps and end laps).

Mansard

A roof design with a nearly vertical roof plane that ties into a roof plane of less slope at its peak.

Mats

The general term for the base material of shingles and certain rolled products.

Modified Bitumen

Rolled roofing membrane with polymer modified asphalt and either polyester or fiberglass reinforcement.

Mortar

Mixture of sand, mortar, limestone and water used in bonding a chimney’s bricks together.

Nail Guide Line

Painted line on laminated shingles, to aid in the proper placement of fasteners.

Nail-Pop

When a nail is not fully driven, it sits up off the roof deck.

NRCA

The National Roofing Contractors Association. Respected national organization of roofing contractors.

Organic Shingles

Shingles made from organic (paper) mats.

OSB

Oriented Strand Board. A decking made from wood chips and lamination glues.

Overdriven

The term used for fasteners driven through roofing material with too much force, breaking the material.

Rake Edge

The vertical edge of gable style roof planes.

Ridge Vent

Hard plastic ridge vent material.

Roof Louvers

Rooftop rectangular shaped roof vents. Also called box vents, mushroom vents, airhawks, soldier vents.

Roof Plane

A roofing area defined by having four separate edges. One side of a gable, hip or mansard roof.

Sealant

A material used for sealing something so as to make it airtight or watertight.

Shed Roof

Roof design of a single roof plane. Area does not tie into any other roofs.

Side Laps

The area on rolled material where one roll overlaps the rolled material beneath it. Also called selvage edge on rolled roofing.

Soffit Ventilation

Intake ventilation installed under the eaves, or at the roof edge.

Steep-Slope Roofing

Generally all slopes higher than 4/12 are considered steep slopes.

Tab

The bottom portion of traditional shingle separated by the shingle cut-outs.

Tear-Off

Removal of existing roofing materials down to the roof deck.

Transitions

When a roof plane ties into another roof plane that has a different pitch or slope.

Underdriven Fastener

Term used to describe a fastener not fully driven flush to the shingles surface.

Underlayments

Asphalt-based rolled materials designed to be installed under main roofing material to serve as added protection.

Valleys

Area where two adjoining sloped roof planes intersect on a roof creating a “V” shaped depression.

Vapor

Term used to describe moisture laden air.

Warranty

The written promise to the owner of roofing materials for material related problems.

Waterproof Underlayments

Modified bitumen based roofing underlayments. Designed to seal to wood decks and waterproof critical leak areas.

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FAQ

A Public Adjuster (PA) is a state-licensed insurance professional who manages claims on behalf of the policy holder. PAs are claim specialists who are able to negotiate directly with insurance companies in advocating for their clients to ensure that the claim is settled in a fair and timely manner.

Not necessarily. Most policies don’t specifically cover a leaking roof. But they do commonly provide coverage for weather events like hurricanes or hail, and any damage that results. This is one of the primary reasons you need a Public Adjuster. Often roof leaks won’t appear until some time after damage occurs, which allows insurers to deny claims. A Public Adjuster like RoofLeak.com works to substantiate the cause of the damage and impel the insurer to accept and pay out the claim.

Under Florida law, an insurance company has 90 days from the date the claim is made to either pay or deny that claim unless “factors beyond their control” impede them from doing so. These “factors” are not clearly defined under the law, which gives insurers a loophole to avoid paying claims promptly. A Public Adjuster like RoofLeak.com is able to legally question the validity of insurer stall tactics and impel them to pay out claims promptly.

Policies vary between insurers, but generally you can expect your policy to cover everything that is not specifically excluded in the text of the policy. Commonly, this includes severe and sudden catastrophic events while excluding damage that occurs due to long-term neglect or poor maintenance.

Under Florida law, an insurance company has 90 days from the date the claim is made to either pay or deny that claim unless “factors beyond their control” impede them from doing so. These “factors” are not clearly defined under the law, which gives insurers a loophole to avoid paying claims promptly. A Public Adjuster like roofleak.com is able to legally question the validity of insurer stall tactics and impel them to pay out claims promptly.



If the insurance company denies your claim wrongfully, you can file a lawsuit against them. If you win, you are entitled to receive compensation from the insurer for any legal fees you may have incurred. However, before you retain an attorney, you should contact a Public Adjuster such as RoofLeak.com to determine whether you should instead retain them to re-file the claim on your behalf.

Under Florida law, you have 5 years from the date of your loss to file a suit against your insurer. It does not matter how long it takes for your insurance company to deny your claim, the statute of limitations begins on the date that damages occur.

Denied? Not satisfied with your settlement? Get a second opinion! ​