Are you worried you might have a leaky roof? Roof leaks can lead to serious structural damage to your home and your roof.
Worse yet are the stains that can develop on walls and ceilings in your home. The most important thing to do is to find the roof leak as soon as possible. That’s why we will be showing you how to find a roof leak so you can tackle that roof leak repair ASAP.
DOES YOUR ROOF LEAK?
Before you call a contractor to come out and fix the leak that you suspect is in your home, it’s good to determine if it’s really leaking and if it’s coming from your roof. There are a few ways you can check and find a roof leak to see where it is coming from. These steps and places aren’t in a particular order, so just start with what’s easy and work your way to each area. If you don’t find any signs of water, you might be in the clear. But it’s always good to keep an eye out.
CHECK THE ATTIC ASAP
The first thing you should do is go to your attic and check the roof. This might sound like a no-brainer, but how many people have actually gone up into their attic to find out where that leak has been coming from? Probably not many! That might partially be because getting into the attic access isn’t at all easy.
But, after you’re up there, you should be able to easily see obvious signs of water damage or leaks. You might even find some mold growth that you’ve been missing or weren’t aware of. After you find water in your attic, locating where it’s coming from is the hardest part. Sometimes you’ll be able to easily see the water coming in or daylight through a visible hole in the attic ceiling!
FOLLOW WET AND DAMAGED INSULATION OR DRYWALL
If you spot wet or damaged insulation or drywall in your home, this is a sign of a leak, and finding it can be really simple. You’ll just need to do some sleuthing. You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes because the only thing you’re looking for is how water got into your home. Finding it will be as simple as following the trail of damage it’s left in its path.
When you’re looking for wet and damaged drywall, you’ll want to check the perimeter around the roof. It could be your gutters leaking or even a poor window seal. The easiest way to find out exactly what’s causing the leak is to call a professional inspector.
INSPECT YOUR ROOF FOR HOLES OR DAMAGES TO THE UNDERSIDE
The underside of your roof can often be the culprit for a leaky home. For example, if you’ve noticed water stains on the ceiling or walls, you might have a visible hole in your roof. As we stated in the attic inspection section, you can check there first or check by walking around your roof and looking for holes. Sometimes holes caused by tree branches puncturing the roof will be very visible, even when looking up from the ground.
INSPECT THE TOP OF YOUR ROOF
If you have not been able to find the signs of a leaking roof from inside your home, it’s time to get the ladder out. Once you’re up on your roof, check for missing shingles, roof penetrations, and anything else that could cause water leaks. Make sure to search the entire roof for damaged shingles or even exposed nails. Another good trick is to check your roof vents to see if there is anything that is damaged or obstructing the vent from working properly.
USE A GARDEN HOSE TO WET YOUR ROOF: WHERE’S THE WATER COMING IN?
You definitely don’t want to cause more damage to your home, but you won’t be able to fix it if you don’t know where the leak is. Sometimes, finding the leak or ensuring that there isn’t one is more important than the danger of causing potential damage to your home by allowing more water to enter.
It’s best to do this on a nice sunny day. Simply wet down the roof well, make sure there are no areas where you can visibly see water entering the roof. If you don’t notice anything on the outside, head inside and listen for drips, as well as visually inspect the different suspect areas to see if you can spot water.
FIXING THE ROOF LEAK
After you’ve found the leak, there are a few things you can do to get it fixed correctly and in a permanent way. The last thing you want is to lean on a quick fix that only gives you a few months or years before it starts leaking again.
The first option you have is to contact a professional roofing company and get their help with the repairs. Companies like MARS Restoration will often be able to help you with a one-time fix as well as ongoing maintenance. And MARS Restoration offers a 24-hour guarantee. We’ll get out there and at least get a temporary fix in place so that you don’t need to worry about your roof leaking too much.
The second option is to go the DIY route. If you’re willing to take on a roof repair project, this might be a good option, but you should know that there are some potential problems when going this route. One of those is that most insurance companies require a professional to fix the damage to keep your roof insured. This is especially true if they’re helping pay for the repairs.
FINAL STEPS
So as you can see, learning how to find a roof leak isn’t too bad! While finding the damage and or leak in your roof isn’t always easy, getting it fixed can be even harder. That’s why we’re happy to offer free inspections for our customers. You shouldn’t have to worry about figuring it out on your own, and you definitely don’t need to fix it on your own. Contact MARS Restoration for the best in roofing and restoration services!