Roof Leak at Pitch change

Do you have a pitch change on your roof? Do you have a nagging leak you just cannot figure out in that same area?

What is a pitch change?

First off, what exactly is a pitch change? Most commonly, found on homes that have an extended front porch tying into their main home. It can be found on normal homes that have been built with dimension in order to break up the look of a straight home.

 

So how exactly can a pitch change create problems? Is it something that can be fixed in a DIY situation or something a professional contractor should address?

Problem areas in pitch change

Pitch changes do create an interesting situation. In areas that receive a fair amount of snow or long cold spells are at high risk of ice damns forming in areas of pitch changes. This can allow water to back up and work its way behind shingles and coming into your home.

 

Additionally, during the installation of your roof if nails are installed right in the middle of the pitch change can create major problems.

What to do?

So how as a homeowner can you try to fix this yourself? Well there is no easy way to as a homeowner. This issue should be address one by a professional contractor and even better if addressed during the original installation.

 

If you are installing the roof as a homeowner or having a contractor install the roof then its best to make sure you request an Owens Corning ice and water shield or similar product, in the pitch change in addition to all valleys. Make sure there are no nails nailed directly in the center of the pitch change.

Those seem like simple enough but a major issue that most people miss and even some contractors miss is “short shingling” the lower slope. If the slope is below a 2/12 pitch then an asphalt shingle system is out of the question, you must go with a system designed for low slopes.

 

Extra Protection

Another extra layer of protection that some companies install and we at the Lyons Roofing Company recommend is for any low slope system from 2/12 to a 4/12 pitch we install Owens Corning Ice and Water shield on the entire section.

 

As a homeowner or a do it yourselfer make sure you address these areas during the installation. If not you will have years and years of headaches.