The First Three Things You Should Do If Your Roof Starts Leaking
No one ever brags about their roof . We all know people who send you photos of their perfectly manicured garden, or those who speak fondly of their new kitchen splashback. But the roof? Nobody thinks about their roof—until it starts leaking .
A roof leak always happens at the most inopportune moment – for example, when it is actively pouring. If you’re horrified by water dripping from places where water shouldn’t be dripping, hopefully you have a roofer in your contacts so you can quickly get one in for an inspection. But before you call, don’t waste any time—you need to get your roof sorted if you want to limit the damage from a roof leak.
Clean and maintain
Your first priority is to prevent damage. The time has come to act:
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Get things out of the way. Any furniture, electronics, or rugs should be removed immediately from the area where water is dripping.
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Cover things you can’t move, such as a large, heavy sofa or any built-in furniture. In a pinch, any plastic film will do. If the water leak is significant, you can also place furniture legs in plastic containers or raise it on risers if you can’t move it.
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Contain water: Place a bucket under the stream and mop the floor to prevent water from soaking into the floor. If a water leak has caused your ceiling or wall to bulge like a balloon, squeeze out the bulge to allow the water to drain; otherwise, water will slowly soak into areas far from the leak.
Consider keeping a roof leak drain device (or two). These tarp-like devices attach to the ceiling and direct water into a hose that can be run down the drain. This way, you won’t have to worry about emptying the bucket while keeping your floors dry.
Roof grading
Once you’ve restored order to the inside of your home, it’s time to see if you can make some temporary repairs.
Start in the attic if you have one. You may immediately see the source of the leak, or you may have to go looking for it. Bring a flashlight and look for damp spots, slowly seeping water, or holes in the roof. If you see obvious damage, you can try patching it from the inside with roofing cement or roofing tape , but keep in mind that while successful interior repairs can save the inside of your home from further damage, there will still be a leak in your roof. will be there and will require repairs.
If you don’t have an attic or don’t see obvious leaks from the inside, your next step may be to go up to the roof. You have to be very careful here – going up on the roof during a rainstorm is a bad idea. Wait for the storm to pass and always follow best safety practices when you go up there. When you finally get to the roof, it’s time for some detective work:
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Remember that water flows, so the source of the leak may not be directly above or even near the water outlet inside your home.
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First, look for obvious damage: missing or visually damaged shingles, loose flashing, stained or sunken areas, or tears or cracks in the roof membrane.
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If you don’t see anything obvious, look at the most common problem areas : where vent pipes exit the roof, where two planes meet, flashing around chimneys or skylights, and roof valleys.
Once you’ve identified one or more potential sources of leakage, you can apply some roofing cement (make sure it’s rated for use in wet conditions if the roof is still damp or it’s raining lightly) or even some flexible paste . If you’re dealing with discrete damage to your roof, this may stop the leak until you make proper repairs.
If you can’t identify the specific area that needs to be patched (or as an extra layer of protection if you pay), you can throw a tarp over the area where you suspect there is a leak. The tarp should be at least six millimeters thick, and you’ll need enough to stretch several feet around the leak. As a last resort, you can simply weigh down the tarp with some lumber, but ideally you should secure the tarp to the roof using roofing nails.
Document
Finally, document the damage, especially if you have an insurance policy that includes roof coverage. If you wait until the repairs are completed, you may find that your insurance company is unwilling to pay out the claim. A few quick photos of the inside and outside, as well as any damaged furniture or electronics, will go a long way in ensuring the claim goes smoothly. Additionally, when you contact a licensed roofer to repair or replace your roof, you can send them photos so they can determine the extent of the problem.