Experience at HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, has shown that Water Management Systems are a major source of problems in Home and Commercial Building Inspections. Failures of these of systems can lead to more serious problems such as mold and structural failure.
The components of the Water Management System include the roof, gutter/downspout/extension subsystem, windows, doors and gradient of the landscaping. All of these have in common the responsibility of moving water off and/or away from the building.
The purpose of this article is to remind all home and building owners about a maintenance item that we each need to be aware of. The item is called a roof boot. These devices are the metal and neoprene part of a plumbing vent roof penetration that protects against rain water leaking through the roof at the vent.
The neoprene part of the roof boot is what I want to talk about. The neoprene material is a flexible rubber-like product that is subject to deterioration over time. The heat and UV rays from the sun cause the neoprene to dry and eventually crack as in the picture to the right. Once the neoprene cracks, water can easily penetrate into the house by following the vent PVC pipe down. Ceiling damage is the most likely result, but mold can be the eventual outcome from the leak.
This cracking usually happens on the south side of the boot and most likely on the south side of the house. The south side of the house is where the greatest effect from the sun may take place.
Unfortunately, these neoprene components of the roof boot are only good for about 7 - 8 years. On the other hand, our asphalt shingles should last 15 - 20 years. So if your roof is 10 years old, the shingles could be fine but your boots may be cracked. One way to find out is by using binoculars to look at the boot from the ground. Since most of our roofs are high and steep I do not recommend anyone go up on a ladder to look at your roof boots. If in doubt, it may be best to assume the neoprene is cracked or about to crack. Roofers often recommend replacing the boot once during the life of an asphalt roof. When the second time comes around, it may be time to replace the entire roof.
Most residential roofs have between 2 and 6 roof penetration boots. The regular price to replace these boots can be as high as $100.
Richard
Comments in this blog posting are the intellectual property of Richard Acree, President, HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, and contributing members of the Active Rain Real Estate network, and are intended to educate and otherwise assist home owners, sellers and buyers, building owners, sellers and buyers, realtors, real estate investors, property managers, and lenders in the process of owning, buying or selling homes or commercial buildings. HABITEC is a residential (home) and commercial building inspection company serving Middle Tennessee including Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Mt. Juliet, Hendersonville, Dickson, Belle Meade, Columbia, Spring Hill and more! In addition to building inspections HABITEC offers Environmental Services for mold assessments, radon testing and water quality analysis. Additional information about HABITEC can be found on our website at www.habitecinspections.com, or call 615-376-2753.
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