Nobody ever wants to discover water dripping from their ceiling. Whether you are home when the roof leak starts or come home to it, you must take immediate action to prevent additional damage to your home.
Contain The Roof Leak
If you find water leaking from a bulge or staining in your ceiling, water is likely pooling on the other side of that bulge or dark area. Get a pail, garbage can, or some other container and location it under the site of the drip or thought leakage.
Next, take an old screwdriver, locate the centre of the bulge where water is accumulating and puncture it right in the middle. It might seem unusual to punch a hole in your ceiling to stop a roof leak, the brand-new hole will allow the water to drain pipes smoothly and eliminate pressure on the rest of your ceiling. If water collects and pools, the entire ceiling might collapse.
Cover the outside surface area with a big tarp. Only if you are positive you know where the leak is coming from and can safely get to the source. If you can’t reach it or feel unsafe doing so, it would be best to instantly contact a roofing professional. Many reliable roofing companies use emergency tarping services. As you may already know, sadly if your roofing system is actively leaking due to weather. A roofing expert can not repair the leakage up until that weather has stopped. The tarp will act as a short fix to decrease the damage inside your home until your contractor can fix the issue.
An experienced roof specialist will inspect your roofing system both from the exterior of the roofing itself in addition to within your home, usually through the attic. Examining the underside of the roof sheeting can show signs of water damage, however, it is not a foolproof approach so inspecting the roofing for damage is required as well.
Risks of Waiting
When it comes to a roof leak, it is important to act quickly. Dripping roofing systems never repair themselves or get better by themselves. If the leak isn’t bad yet, even. Get it repaired now. Often we hear from house owners that they saw a stain on their ceiling or perhaps some bubbling for some time, however, thought it wasn’t major. Avoidance and disregarding will not repair leakage in your roof. A lot of times by the time you observe damage within your house it is currently too late. The National Roofer Association advises examining your roofing system two times a year, in the fall and spring. Here is what to look for to prevent a fixable issue from becoming a damaging and expensive repair:
On the inside, you ought to look for:
- Dark areas
- Spots where outside light shines through
- Sagging
On the outside, you should watch out for:
- Missing, warped, rotting, peeling, broken, blistering, or buckling shingles
- Blocked or slow-draining gutters/downspouts
- Loose material or use around vents or chimneys
It can probably be spot-repaired instead of needing an overall replacement if your roofing system is less than 15 years old. Simply remember that a little leak will not go away – it will only worsen.
A roof leak is generally just indications of a much larger issue. Be vigilant, search for leaks, and talk with your contractor about the condition of your roofing frequently.