TAking care of the leaks around your roof vent pipes does not mean getting rid of the vent pipes altogether. When you are annoyed because you keep getting those unsightly water stains in your ceiling and you know there is a lot of  damage being done to the structure of your home before you even see the stains, you may be inclined to rip your vent pipes out forever.

Don’t be quick to react with frustration! Those pipes are there for a reason – not just as an anchor point for your roof top holiday display! Wherever wastewater is created in your home at plumbing fixtures such as sinks, toilets and showers a vent pipe is needed. The waste eventually ends up in the sewer system attached to your home but the gases produced need a place to go and that is exactly the function of your roof vent pipes. Without the pipes you would be overwhelmed with foul odors inside your home.

• To find the leak, you need to climb up into your attic and locate the PVC pipe that goes through your roof. Beware not to step between the ceiling joists or you may break through the ceiling.
• You will have to reamove the insulation carefully from the pipe where it penetrates the roof. If you see daylight you know you have an issue. That’s where water can come through.
• If the roof decking is decomposing, you will need to have it replaced. Hopefully you can locate the problem before it gets to that point.
  If you believe it’s going to rain again before your roofing repair contractor gets to you, tie a towel around the vent pipe to soak up the water before it gets to  your ceiling. Most quality contractors can be there on the same day you call.
• One of the most common problems is a cracked boot around your vent pipe. The boot is the rubber cover that hugs the pipe and keeps it watertight. Exposure to the sun, wind and variable temperaturs causes it to shrink and crack over time. Replacing it is a standard procedure.

You may want to have the rubber boot replaced with other flashing solutions such as lead pipe flashing that are not nearly as susceptible to the elemants as rubber. Your roofing contractor can fill you in you on the latest technology in repairing roof vent pipe leaks. The important point is to have it resolved before it becomes more expensive.

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