Steps to Take if You Have a Roof Leak
A leak in your roof can cause serious damage to your home if it’s not addressed in a timely manner. Let’s face it, everyone hopes they never experience the stress of having a leaky roof, but leaks are more common than you might think. The best way to ease your stress if you have a roof leak is to first call a roofing company you trust, and then have a plan for addressing your leak to minimize damage in your home.
Minimize the Damage
A sprung leak in your roof can cause major damage to your home if not addressed quickly and correctly. One of the most important steps you can take is to stop the damage from spreading. Find the wettest spot and place a bucket and plastic in that area to catch the majority of the water. If you notice that your ceiling is bubbling where the water is leaking from, that’s a pretty good indication that there is standing water which means great potential for some serious damage. Poke a small hole in the bubble to release the water and to prevent the standing water from spreading further and causing more damage.
Avoid Extended Damage
Leaking water can cause further damage to more than just your roof and ceiling. Water tends to find paths of travel, so even though you’ve found a major leak in the center of the room, the source of the leak could be coming from somewhere else. Check the surrounding floor and wall area for moisture. Make sure the carpet and flooring is dry to avoid mold or staining. If your carpet is saturated, it may be necessary to pull back the carpet to allow the padding to dry out thoroughly. Use fans to dry it out faster.
Locate the Leak Source
Once you’ve addressed the immediate concerns and minimized any potential damage, you’ll want to try to pinpoint the source of the leak. Don’t just assume that where it’s leaking in your ceiling is where the roof leak is. As stated before, water finds travel paths. In an attic this could mean that there are several feet between the source of the leak in the roof and the leak in the ceiling. The best way to find the source is to get in the attic and start investigating.
Clean the area surrounding the point of entry before trying to patch the hole to avoid it from failing before your trusted roofer arrives. Clean up and dry any wet areas you find in the attic to avoid a mold issue. We would recommend not climbing on your roof to find the source of the problem that way; instead, leave the heights to a licensed professional.
Schedule Your Roof Inspection!
If you have a roof leak in the future, we hope that you will find these tips helpful. The best way to try and avoid a roof leak in the first place is to call Dykstra Knight and schedule a Roof Inspection! Our crew can come out to inspect your roof and repair any issues you may have that could cause a leak in the future.