If your roof is leaking, then it's fairly obvious that your roof needs to be repaired. Most people assume that the repairs will involve replacing damaged shingles. Sometimes, this is the case. However, missing or damaged shingles are not the only cause of roof leaks. Don't be surprised if, after a leak, your roofer recommends making one or more of the following repairs instead.

Replacing or Repairing Your Flashing

Flashing is metal that goes around the sides of chimneys and plumbing vents. Roofers also tend to put it in roof valleys, so if your roof has multiple peaks, you might have some metal flashing between the sections. If flashing gets lifted up, starts rusting, or peels away from the material underneath it, then leaks can develop. Sometimes flashing gets pushed back by a tree branch in a storm, and other times, its deterioration is just the result of long-term, sustained water exposure.

If your flashing is damaged, a roofer will likely remove it and replace it. The materials are cheap, so it's not usually worth salvaging old or used flashing. The only time repairs are likely to be made is if the flashing is just slightly separating and can be re-secured with caulk.

Caulking Around Vents

Every roof should have vents. They allow warm air to escape from the attic. Some roofs have a ridge vent, which is a long type of vent that runs across the entire ridge. Other roofs have soffit vents, which are placed under the eaves. These vents need to be well caulked into the roof, or else water will leak around them. If your roofer finds that the caulk is missing or deteriorating, they'll re-caulk your vents to prevent future leaks.

Replacing Vents With Baffled Vents

Did you just endure a really strong storm with high winds? If so, the water in your attic might have blown in through the vents. This does not mean anything is wrong with the vents — just that they're the wrong type of vents for a climate that gets strong storms. A roofer may replace them with vents that have a baffle on the bottom. Wind-driven rain will hit the baffle and bounce back instead of going in through the vent.

If you have a roof leak, your roofer may need to perform any of the repairs above. In some cases, you might actually need more than one of these repairs.  

For more info, contact a local roofing contractor.