Pipe boot and roof vent repair
A stain on the ceiling under a bathroom or kitchen vent pipe is very often a cracked pipe boot. It is one of the most common small roof leaks, and one of the quickest to fix.
Signs of a pipe boot or vent leak
- A round stain on the ceiling under a bathroom, kitchen or laundry room
- Water that only shows up in rain, often running down a pipe in the attic
- A cracked or split rubber collar around a pipe on the roof (you can sometimes see it from the ground with binoculars)
- A dented or loose vent cap after hail or wind
Why boots crack here
The rubber collar that seals a plumbing pipe dries out and cracks in the sun. The Houston area has around 100 days a year at or above 90 °F, and the median Baytown home was built in 1981, so many boots up there are old. Local reviews praise roofers who found exactly this problem and fixed it in a few hours.
Pipe boot, roof vent or exhaust cap?
- Pipe boot: a rubber or lead collar around a plumbing vent pipe.
- Roof vent: a box or turbine vent that lets hot air out of the attic.
- Exhaust cap: the cover over a bathroom fan, kitchen hood or dryer vent.
All three are holes in the roof with a seal around them, and all three can leak when that seal fails.
How it is fixed
- Lift the shingles above and around the pipe or vent.
- Take off the old boot or vent and the old sealant.
- Fit a new boot or vent, nail it and seal it.
- Lay the shingles back over the top edge so water runs over it, not under it.
Caulk smeared over a cracked boot can stop a drip for a while, but it dries out; leaks that come back after a quick patch are a common complaint. See roof leak repair and flashing repair.
Need this repaired? Call us now.
We always pick up. If we ever miss your call, we call back within 30 minutes. Open 24/7. Roof Bolt, 999 W Texas Ave, Baytown, TX 77520.
Call Now (281) 767-9183