Dealing with Leak Problems on Tile Roofs
Leaks on the roof of the house are a problem that often occurs and the problem becomes even more troublesome when it occurs when the occupants of the house are fast asleep and the next day the water has filled parts of the house or wet their favorite furniture. This can happen because at the start of building a house, people don't pay much attention to the roof and covering materials because what is important to them is that the roof doesn't leak, but for how long? If in the next 5 to 10 years you have to always carry out roof repairs, it will certainly be very troublesome, in terms of time, energy and costs.
Several things that must be paid attention to to overcome the problem of leaks or seepage are:
1. Roof slope angle
If the roof slope angle is not correct, it will be prone to leaks due to leaking from rainwater, especially when accompanied by strong winds. Apart from that, the position of the roof tiles is also prone to sagging and causing leaks. The ideal roof slope angle is between 30 to 40 degrees.
2. Condition of the frame and battens
The condition of the frames and battens that are sagging, inconsistent and not aligned as well as the spacing of the battens being incorrect will cause roof tiles to be difficult to install and create cavities that invite water to enter, resulting in leaks.
3. Choose a good quality roof covering product
Usually leaks can occur because the tile product has cracks or become porous and rusty. The inconsistent, imprecise geometric shape of the roof tiles will make installation difficult so that they are not neat and tight, resulting in water leaking out when it rains.
Good roof tiles must meet the following criteria:
Functional aspects: Does not leak and is strong and provides a feeling of security and comfort.
Aesthetic aspect: The shape of the roof tiles is precise (does not deform/slide) so that it looks neat when installed and must also be resistant to all weather, not fade or fade.
In terms of Durability (Life time): Durable and long lasting for decades, both functionally and aesthetically.
4. Pay attention to the roof connection areas, such as the roof/carpus and jurai areas.
– The ridge area (nok) is the top side of the roof. Due to the varying quality of the installation, sometimes the roof position is made too high as a result of which the cement mortar filling material also becomes high or thick. This causes the risk of cracks in the roof cement mortar resulting in leaks in the roof of the house due to water seepage in the roof carpus when it rains. Patching it with leak-proof coating or cement is only temporary and will become a repetitive routine.
– The jurai area is where two areas of the roof meet at the corner of the inner building (inner jurai) or at the corner of the outer building (outer jurai), generally people cover it using zinc and carpet. However, over a certain period of time the zinc can rust and the carpet can rot, causing leaks.
From an aesthetic perspective, the roof looks less beautiful because the color is not uniform with the color of the roof tiles. Apart from that, because the gap area is where two areas of the roof meet, there are small pieces that are not attached to the battens so that the roof tiles can sag and result in leaks.
*Check regularly
Regular checks every few months can avoid larger leak problems. Check every material made of wood, because there is a possibility that it is rotting or being eroded by termites. Clean the gutters from dirt or leftover leaves which can cause blockages and result in leaks. In principle, buying roof tiles is a one-time decision for a very long period of time. A wrong decision will cost much more to fix.