Why do skylights and roof windows need checking here?
Many houses carry a roof opening, and its kerb and seal are the places a storm finds first. The technician checks the flashing at the kerb, the seal between the glass and the frame and the ceiling beneath.
A stain directly below the opening points to the flashing or the glass, and a stain some distance away points to water running along the framing. The trace decides which one applies.
How is the attic read on a valley house?
The attic is read for ventilation and for signs of moisture. Blocked intakes and missing exhausts shorten the covering's life, and dark sheathing near the ridge is a sign of heat and moisture that have not been moving out.
Vapour from the house below can also reach the attic through a bathroom or kitchen duct that ends there. The duct is redirected outside where it does.
The attic is also checked for insulation that has settled against the eave. A layer pressed against the soffit blocks the intake, and the baffles that keep it back are fitted where the insulation has moved. The change is recorded with the readings taken before it.
What is the first step after a storm?
Photograph the stain from inside, keep the room clear and call (833) 751-2102. Walk the house from the ground and look for lifted shingles, bent gutters and debris on the covering.
If the covering is open, a tarp is fixed to the structure and the damage is recorded. The permanent repair follows a written scope.
How are the gutters and outlets on a valley house checked?
The gutters and outlets on a valley house are checked for flow and for their discharge. An outlet that lands against the wall is extended to a splash block or a short pipe, so the water leaves the foundation.
The fascia behind the gutter is probed for soft wood, since a gutter that has overflowed at one corner often softens the board behind it. The gutter is re-hung and the fascia replaced where it is soft.
Why are the flashings checked after a storm?
After a storm, the flashings at the vents, the chimney and the wall junctions are checked for lift and for sealant that has cracked. A flashing that has moved in the storm is re-set while the weather is dry, before the next rain can reach the joint.
The check is made from the ground where possible and from the ladder at the eave. Photographs taken from the same spot show any change since the last check.
