Water damage is a primary cause of insurance claims filed by homeowners. If not taken care of quickly, a leaking roof can cause thousands of dollars in damage. Along with that comes the threat of dangerous molds.
A roof leak seems like a simple thing to find. You would think that it would always be just above the evidence of water in the interior of the home. It turns out that this isn’t always the case.
If you’re seeing water on the ceiling or walls of your home, you need to locate the source as soon as possible. You can then determine if you can repair the leak yourself or if a roofing professional needs to come out.
Let’s walk through some techniques you can use to find the source of a leaking roof.
Getting to Bottom of a Leaking Roof
The biggest problem with finding a leak is that it can enter the roof in one location and travel to a different location before causing damage. This means that the leak may not be directly above the visible water damage.
The best way to find the leak is through the process of elimination. It’s good to have someone there to help you out during this process.
Enter the Attic
First, you’ll need to enter the attic and go to the general location where water has been seen in the interior of the house. With a flashlight, look for areas on the roof that are darker than others. This could indicate water entering through the roof.
Also, look for any mold on the underside of the roof. Mold needs moisture to thrive, so this could be a good indicator.
Look for Signs of Penetration
A leak could be caused by an object like a nail in the roof or cracks in an AC or plumbing vent.
Look for any objects that may have penetrated the roof. Water could be coming in through these damaged areas and running down the underside of the roof to enter the interior of the home in a different location.
Look for Detoriation
If you have insulation on the underside of your roof, look for areas that have deteriorated. You’ll need to pull off the insulation the expose the leaking roof.
Remember, the leak could be several feet from the wet insulation, so you may need to pull down all insulation in the general area to find the hole.
Find the Leaks (When It’s not Raining!)
If it’s not raining outside, it’s likely that water won’t be coming through the roof at that moment. If this is the case, you can have someone go onto the roof with a hose and spray the area with water until you start seeing it leaking in.
Leaks in your roof can be deceiving, but if you follow this process you’re likely to find the source. You can then determine if patching the hole is something you can do or if a professional needs to be called.
Repairing Damaged or Leaking Roofs
If you’ve found that water is coming in through damaged areas on your roof, you need to fix the problem as soon as possible. Water damage happens quickly and can cause costly damage to your home.
Community Roofing and Restoration has been providing quality roof repair services in the metro Milwaukee area since 1975. Contact us today to speak with a qualified professional and schedule a repair.