Roof leak: what to do? Overhaul of the roof of an apartment building

Almost every owner of a private house or apartment on the top floor at least once faced the problem of leaking roof. In addition to damage to walls, ceiling and furniture, this phenomenon can cause a shortage of wiring, as well as the formation of mold and fungus. If the leakage of the roof in time is not eliminated, the plaster may deteriorate, which will necessitate repair in an apartment or house. These factors are not the only ones that make you think about repair work or replacement of roofing.

Main causes of leakage

Before you begin repairing the roof, you need to understand the main cause of the leak. The wear of the material caused by its aging can lead to this problem. Over time, even the most high-quality coating of the roof comes into disrepair. After 8-10 years, roofing felt, laid in 3 layers, will gradually begin to break down under the influence of temperature, sunlight and precipitation. The surface will be covered with cracks, which will penetrate the moisture, which will cause even more destruction. This applies to slate from slate, which has its service life.

Roof leakage can occur due to mechanical damage. They sometimes arise even on a new coating. Such defects usually appear suddenly, most often after a storm, heavy rain or wind. Roofing is sometimes damaged by branches and foreign objects that are torn from other roofs.

Additional reasons

Roof leaks can occur if the rules for placing insulation layers have not been observed. In this case condensation appears.

When waterproofing joints installers sometimes make mistakes, this is especially true for the joints of the chimney with the roof and other protruding parts of the roof. As a result, water begins to seep into the inner space.

The same problems can arise if the design of the wastewater system is incorrect. Roof leakage occurs when a beam of different diameters was used for the device of the crate. This creates a skewed roof, the material is shifted. Incorrect installation of skates also causes leakage.

Elimination of leaks in the slate roof of an apartment building

If the roof of slate flows, you can try to repair small cracks. They are cleaned of debris and dirt, using a brush or rinsing with a jet of water. Leaving the repair site for drying, it is necessary to prepare a mixture of PVA glue, M-400 cement and asbestos. Asbestos can be obtained from slate sheets or purchased a new one. Rubbing asbestos on a grater, you need to protect yourself from inhaling small particles by wearing a respirator.

The composition is prepared from three parts of asbestos, two parts of cement and PVA glue with water. The last two ingredients are added in a ratio of 1 to 1. The composition is well mixed and brought to the consistency of sour cream. If the roof of slate flows, then it will be easily closed with the above-described mixture.

Before applying the composition, the crack should be lubricated with a primer of water and PVA, combined in a ratio of 3 to 1. The treated mixture is applied to the repair mixture in two layers. The total thickness of each of them should be equal to 2 mm and more. Such repairs are recommended to be carried out in dry weather, because the asbestos layer must dry naturally, gradually gaining strength.

Repair of slate roof with modern materials

If you have a question about how to eliminate the leakage of the roof, then you can use modern waterproofing materials like "Hyperdesmo." In this case, the roof will last longer than using the first method of repair. The place cleared of moss and dirt must be treated by one of the following means:

• petrol;
• acetone;
• White Spirit.

This will reduce the fat content of the surface. When cleaning areas of roofs to be repaired in winter, a blowtorch or gas burner should be used to dry it. The surface is primed with a solution of the same sealant, to which xylene should be added in a volume of 5 to 10% of the total mass.

The sealant itself must be applied manually or with a gun. In the first case, a spatula is used. After 6 hours on the layer should be laid fiberglass and again processed with sealant. To increase the life of the slate roof, it should be painted with special paints.

Overhaul of slate roofs

If the spot repair did not help, then there is a replacement of the roof. Start work in this case is necessary with the dismantling of old sheets of asbestos cement. This removes slate nails and other fastening elements. The sheets can then be lowered to the ground. The rafter system is inspected, because it can form a fungus and begin the process of rotting wood due to leaks. Special attention should be paid to rafters, since they act as the main bearing structures. Elements that have been putrefied by the putrefaction process must be replaced.

Methods of work

Overhaul of the roof of the apartment building at the next stage provides for the laying of steam and waterproofing. After this, you can proceed with the laying of asbestos-cement sheets. The work is carried out starting from the lower corner of the ramp. Particular attention should be given to the direction of the wind in the area and to make an overlap on the leeward side. Sheets should be laid one wave on the previous.

After completing the first row, you can proceed to the second, making a 10 cm clearance. This is true if the roof slope is more than 25 °. With a smaller slope, the intake increases and can reach 20 cm. On roofs with a minimum slope, joints are additionally filled with silicone-based sealants.

Recommendations of the specialist for work

If the roofing is replaced from slate, the fastening of the material to the sheathing must be carried out with the help of slate nails, which are characterized by a galvanized hat and washer made of rubber.

Before hammering nails, in the slate should drill a hole. Its diameter should be somewhat larger than the diameter of the nail. This will eliminate the cracking of the fabric. In the course of laying, it is necessary to carry out work on waterproofing those places where the slate is adjacent to the chimneys, razozhelobkam, valleys and skates. To extend the life of the new roof, the surface should be painted with acrylic compounds.

Repair of roof joints

For the repair of joints, roll materials or bitumen are traditionally used. But the integrity of the nodes can be restored in a simpler way, which any domestic master will cope with. The principle of carrying out such work is to apply plastic mastic and reinforcing geotextiles. Repair of joints with fleshingom provides restoration of tightness, elasticity and durability for a long time.

The technology is based on the use of "Hyperdesmo" mastic and bitumen-polyurethane composition. Undeniable advantage of this technique is the possibility of its use on any surface with different shapes. The mastic can be applied with a roller or brush, so its laying is carried out in the most inaccessible places. Flashing is a patch made of two layers of mastic, between which a reinforcing fabric is laid. If the joint of the roof flows, then its repair can be carried out using this technology, without spreading open fire, which eliminates the risk of fire.

Stages of work execution

Before applying the mastic, the surface is prepared. To do this, the roll coating is cleaned from the powder, which is not kept firmly enough. It can simply be swept away. Concrete is treated with a primer, and the brickwork is plastered and dried. All the nodes need to be cleaned of dirt and dust, and the detected chips and large cracks should be smeared.

Mastic is applied in two layers, between which the time is maintained from 3 hours to 24 hours. The reinforcing geotextile is rolled over the freshly laid first layer. After completely drying, the mastic of the desired color is applied to the treated area.

Conclusion

If you repair the roof, the price of these jobs should interest you. After all, sometimes owners of private houses and apartments trust this business professionals. Repair and the device of a soft roof from one layer of a material of an economy class are carried out at the price from 300 rbl. Per square meter.

If the work uses materials of the standard class, the repair costs 430 rubles. Per square meter. Repair of the roof, the price of which can reach 550 rubles. Per square meter, sometimes involves the need for a cement-sand screed.