What to Do If Your Roof Is Leaking

A roof is designed to provide many years of protection, but it can become worn out and damaged from weather, falling branches or time. Having your roof leak in a rainstorm is a situation you do not want to deal with, but it unfortunately happens often. If water is dripping or pouring from the ceiling, you need to hire a reputable roofing contractor to fix the problem as soon as possible. In the meantime, there are some things you can do to minimize the damage to your home and belongings.

Protect Your Property
Move your furniture out of the way or cover it with sheets or tarps to prevent damage. Get any electronics away from the leaky area to avoid irreversible damage. If water is falling steadily from the ceiling, collect it with a bucket, trash can or pot. You can put a board inside the container so that the falling water will hit the board and run down, rather than dripping into the container. This will reduce the annoying, repetitive sound.

Prevent Further Damage
Sometimes water doesn’t fall from the ceiling, but a wet spot or bulge is visible. If that is the case, use a sharp object such as a screwdriver to poke a small hole in the middle of the area. That will relieve the pressure and allow the water to drain instead of soaking the ceiling and creating more damage.

Make Temporary Repairs
Go to the top floor or attic to try to find the source of the leak. Where water is dripping or pouring from the ceiling is not necessarily where the leak is originating. Water often runs along wood in the roof and exits near a joint.

After you’ve found the source of the leak, you can temporarily patch it with roofing cement or roofing tape. You can use these products both inside and outside your house. If you’re able to do so safely, you can climb on the roof and place a tarp over the leak. Make sure it’s large enough to cover the source of the leak, as well as several feet around it in each direction.

Don’t Wait to Address a Roof Leak
If your roof is leaking, you need to take action immediately. Putting it off will only allow the problem to get worse, which means your repair bill will be significantly higher than it would have been if you had acted quickly. Call a local roofing contractor as soon as you notice a leak and do what you can to minimize the damage until help arrives.