No one ever wants to find water leaking from their ceiling. Whether you are home when the leak starts or come home to it, it’s a sad thing to come home to after a stressful workday. It is important that you take immediate action to avoid further damage to your home.
Below are immediate actions that can be done:
Contain The Leak
If you find water dripping from a bulge or discolouration in your ceiling, it’s likely that water is pooling on the other side of that bulge or dark spot. Grab a bucket, trash can, or some other container and place it under the site of the drip or suspected leak. If you are confident you know where the leak is coming from and can safely get to the source, cover the exterior surface with a large tarp. If you can’t reach it or feel unsafe doing so, it would be best to immediately contact a roofing professional.
Dangers of waiting
It is important to act quickly when it comes to a roof leak. Leaky roofs never fix themselves or get better on their own. Even if the leak isn’t very bad yet. You don’t wait for a leaky roof to be completely damaged. Get it fixed ASAP. Often we hear from homeowners that they noticed a stain on their ceiling or possibly some bubbling for a while but thought it wasn’t serious.
Avoidance and ignoring will not fix a leak in your roof. Many times by the time you notice damage within your home it is already too late.
The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends inspecting your roof twice a year. Here is what to look for to prevent a fixable issue from turning into a total damaged and costly repair:
What you should look for on the Inside:
- Dark spots
- Spots where outside light shines through
- Sagging
What you should look for on the outside:
- Missing, warped, rotting, peeling, broken, blistering, or buckling shingles and tiles
- Clogged or slow-draining gutters/downspouts
- Loose material or wear around vents and penetrations.
