Sometimes when you have water leaking into your home from your roof it isn’t coming from your shingles. Chimneys, skylights, and other areas where your roof ends or is broken up by a different structure, you have another potential for leaks. Thankfully, these areas can generally be repaired without disturbing the rest of the roof, so if you shingles and roof are in good condition, you can repair leaks around chimneys and skylights to stop water infiltration.

Chimney Leaks

The biggest culprit for leaks developing around your chimney is the flashing. Flashing is a type of sheet metal used to seal up the area between your roof and the chimney. Sometimes the seal between the flashing and the shingles, or the flashing and the chimney is compromised, allowing water to leak in. If this is the case, to do some roofing repairs, you can apply some roofing cement to the joints with a caulk gun. When the cement dries, the area should be watertight. Missing cement in the joints is usually the biggest cause of chimney leaks, simply because this caulk works itself out of the joint on a fairly regular basis.

Occasionally a piece of flashing may be missing or damaged as well. If this is the case, you may want to give a call to your roofing contractor to have them come back and install it. While installing flashing may look like a simple job, it needs to be done properly to avoid overlapping pieces that can result in additional leaks down the road.

Skylight Leaks

Skylight leaks can be trickier to diagnose. In colder climates, condensation on the interior of the skylight may drip down into the house, posing as a leak. In other cases, the skylight may not be closing tightly after it is opened, which can allow rain to leak inside. Your skylight frame may also have been damaged over time, which can allow water to penetrate around the sides of the glass. This can usually be resealed to help stop further leaking. If your skylight seems to be leaking in winter, it could be a buildup of ice and snow behind the skylight, which is causing water to back up under the shingles themselves.

If it turns out not to be one of these issues, a leaking skylight could be an indicator that the rest of the roof may need some work or repairs. Skylights are lined with flashing, just like chimneys are to help prevent leaks from forming. If it turns out that the caulking around the flashing is coming out, just like with a leaking chimney, you can often repair it with a little roofing cement caulked into place.

Sometimes, however, the water just appears to be leaking from the skylight because it’s a penetration in the roof, and therefore water beneath the shingles is running there. If this is the case, you need to have a professional inspection done to correctly diagnose the problem and repair it so that no further moisture is getting inside your home.

Make the Call

Anytime that water is leaking into your home, you need to take action as quickly as possible to help prevent additional damage and potential mold complications. If you suspect that water is penetrating your roof at the chimney or skylight, be sure to inspect or call a professional roofing contractor right away for assistance.