What Should I Do If My Roof Is Leaking and What Are the Risks of Waiting?
What Should I Do If My Roof Is Leaking and What Are the Risks of Waiting?
Nobody wants to come home to a wet ceiling. Whether you are at home when the leak starts or you arrive home to find it, you must act swiftly to avoid more damage to your home.
Keeping the Leak at Arms' Length
If water is leaking from a bulge or dark spot in your ceiling, it is most likely pooling on the other side. Place a bucket, garbage can, or other containers beneath the drip or leak source. You could even want to put a board inside the container to catch the drips rather than the collecting water. As a result, the leaking sound will be lessened.
Then, with an old screwdriver, locate the center of the bulge where water is collecting and puncture it directly in the middle. Though it may seem weird to punch a hole in your ceiling to stop a leak, the new hole will allow the water to drain smoothly and relieve strain on the rest of your ceiling. If water collects and pools, the entire ceiling may fall.
If you're confident you know where the leak is coming from and can safely get to it, cover the outer surface with a large tarp. If you can't reach it or feel unsafe doing so, it's better to call a roofing expert immediately soon. Many professional roofing companies provide emergency tarping services. If your roof is actively leaking due to weather, a roofing contractor will be unable to repair the leak until the weather ceases. The tarping service will serve as a stopgap measure until your roofer can fix the problem.
An experienced roofing technician will examine your roof from the outside as well as the inside of your home, most typically through the attic. Although inspecting the underside of the roof sheeting can reveal signs of water damage, it is not a foolproof method, therefore you should also inspect the roof.
Waiting Has Its Consequences
It is vital to act quickly if a roof leak occurs. Roof leaks do not go away or improve on their own. Even if the spill isn't as bad as it could be. Now is the time to make the necessary adjustments. We commonly hear from homeowners who have noticed a stain or maybe some bubbling on their ceiling for a long time but dismissed it as unimportant.
Avoiding or ignoring a roof leak will not make it go away. When you identify damage in your home, it is often too late. The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends inspecting your roof twice a year, in the fall and spring.
Here's what to look for to prevent a simple issue from becoming a costly and time-consuming fix:
Inside, look for the following:
Dark spots
Areas of sagging where light from the outside shines through
On the outside, look for the following:
missing, twisted, rotten, peeling, broken, blistering, or buckling shingles
blocked or slow-draining gutters and downspouts
Loose or worn material around chimneys and vents
If your roof is less than 15 years old, it is more than likely repairable rather than replacement. Remember that a little leak will not go away; rather, it will intensify.
Roof leaks are frequently signs of a greater problem. If left untreated, the risk of structural degeneration increases. Regular roof inspections by a Fort Wayne roofing business are your best defense against a leaking roof. Keep an eye out for leaks and discuss the condition of your roof with your contractor on a regular basis.
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