The development of water leaks along house seams is easily remedied with the installation of a leak barrier. Without a roof leak barrier, water damage can cause numerous problems in the interior of the home.

We’ll discuss problems caused by water damage from a missing, damaged, improperly installed or degraded roof leak barrier, what a roof leak barrier is, how it functions, and how not all leak barriers are created equal.

The Problems Caused by Water Damage Without a Quality Leak Barrier

Water damage is a difficult problem to correct once it has already been seen in the home. It can result in not only aesthetic issues like moisture stains on walls and ceilings, but also more severe problems like mold and mildew infestations. If your roof leak barrier is malfunctioning, either because it’s missing, damaged, improperly installed or degraded, you have a big issue on your hands. The sooner you correct the issue the better.

Water damage is especially likely to develop when a roof leak barrier, also known as roof moisture barrier, is not used in homes located in cold environments where temperatures frequently fall below freezing during the coldest months of the year. These homes are likely to develop ice dams in gutters and along eves. These ice dams put a lot of pressure on a roof’s moisture barriers when they melt.

Still, that doesn’t mean we Texans shouldn’t use a roof leak barrier as part of our roofing system just because of our geographical location. Just because we rarely see long cold stretches in Texas, doesn’t mean we should skip the roof leak barrier layer of a roofing system.

What is a Leak Barrier?

A leak barrier, or roof moisture barrier, if you prefer to call it that, is a protective layer that is placed at several places on a building’s roof. Although the entire roof will have a protective underlayment, roof leak barriers are a special kind of waterproofing product that created a seal to keep moisture and water out of areas of your roof that are the most vulnerable.

Leak barriers are placed not only along the eaves, but also in valleys, along the roof’s rakes, and around chimneys, vents and other protrusions. These are the areas of a roof that are most susceptible to leak development. This type of moisture protection device can be used on a roof constructed of either shingle or metal.

The following are a few of the most important reasons why a homeowners choose to install leak barriers:

• Complying with building codes
• Saving money
• Maintaining peace of mind
• Sealing out moisture

Comply with building codes by waterproofing your roof properly

Some homeowners absolutely must have leak barriers put on their home to stay up to code. Building codes enforce the use of leak barriers in geographic areas where average temperatures in January are at 25 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

Although the January temperature in Dallas is about 36 degrees, February 2025 hit a low of just 13 degrees, and many may remember the winter of 2021, when we experienced deadly temperatures in the single digits.

Texans are absolutely at risk for ice dams and wind-driven rain damage without quality leak barrier protection. The leak barriers we use are the industry gold standard and far surpass code requirements and protect your home and its valuable contents.

Save money with a quality roof leak barrier

Quality leak barriers like those used by Elevated Roofing save homeowners money by preventing the need for costly water damage repairs. We use a leak guard that can protect against the fierce, wind-driven rain we see with the strong Texas storms.

Leak barriers protect the integrity of the roofing structure and extend the life of a roof. Plus, as part of a comprehensive roofing system, they allow for outstanding warranty protection when installed by an authorized installer like Elevated Roofing.

Maintain peace of mind

Severe winter weather can be a source of enormous stress for homeowners. If you’ve experienced winter storms or freezing temperatures, you know what a significant threat ice dam development poses to your home. With a leak barrier, you can rest assured that you won’t have any leaks that cause water damage no matter how tough this winter gets or how fiercely rain is driven by wind gusts during thunderstorm season

Prevent moisture from destroying your home and belongings

Ensuring vulnerable areas of the roof are secure from moisture is crucial to preventing water damage and moisture damage to your home and belongings. Leak barriers aren’t just helpful when it comes to preventing moisture penetration caused by ice dams. They also prevent penetrations in roofing materials caused by nails and other types of fasteners to allow moisture to penetrate your roof.

The GAF StormGuard Film-Surfaced Leak Barrier

There are quite a few different types of leak barriers out on the market. If you’re looking for the best option for your home, consider the GAF StormGuard film-surfaced leak barrier. The GAF roofing system, along with its leak barrier, is a superior roofing system with outstanding warranty options.

Elevated Roofing’s workmanship and service allow us to bring the GAF products and the most elite GAF warranties  — along with the GAF StormGuard roof leak barrier — to our customers.

This superior roof leak barrier sets the industry standard and offers fiberglass reinforcement that prevents the barrier from bunching up and wrinkling beneath shingles. It also adheres to roofing materials thanks to an adhesive that will allow for adjustments during initial installation but aggressively adheres afterward so that there is no fear that its grip will wear off over time.

Another huge advantage of the StormGuard film-surfaced leak barrier is that it is designed to work well on both shingle and metal roofs. This makes it a highly versatile leak barrier solution for many different roof designs. It withstands incredibly high temperatures — like the temperatures roofs in Texas are subjected to on our hottest days.

Contact Elevated Roofing Today