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 see their ceiling dripping with water. Whether you are home when the leak starts or you arrive home to find it, you must act fast to avoid more damage to your home.
If your ceiling has a bulge or discoloration, water is most likely pooling on the other side of the bulge or dark patch. Submerge the source of the drip or suspected leak in a bucket, garbage can, or another container. You might even want to place a board inside the container to catch the drips rather than the collecting water. As a result, the sound of leaking will be decreased.
Then, with an old screwdriver, locate the bulge where water is accumulating and puncture it directly in the middle. Though it may seem strange 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 could fall.
If you're confident you know where the leak is coming from and can safely reach the source, cover the outer surface with a large tarp. If you can't reach it or feel unsafe doing so, it's better to contact a roofing specialist right away. Many professional roofing companies offer emergency tarping services. Unfortunately, if your roof is leaking because of the weather, a roofing contractor will not be able to fix the leak until the weather ends. The tarping service will serve as a temporary solution to minimize the damage to your home to a minimum while the roofer works to address the problem.
An experienced roofing technician will evaluate your roof from both the outside and the interior, most typically through the attic. Although inspecting the underside of the roof sheeting can reveal signs of water damage, this is not a foolproof method, therefore you should also inspect the roof.
The Consequences of Waiting
It is vital to act quickly when a roof leak develops. Roof leaks are never going to go away or improve on their own. Even if the leak isn't as bad as it could have been. Now is the time to make the necessary changes. We often hear from homeowners who have noticed a stain or maybe some bubbling on their ceiling for some time but dismissed it as unimportant.
Avoiding or ignoring a roof leak will not solve the problem. When you identify damage in your home, it is frequently too late. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, your roof should be examined twice a year, in the fall and spring.
Here are some things to look for to prevent a simple problem from becoming a costly and time-consuming fix:
Look for the following items on the inside:
Darkness in some areas
Where outside light shines through, there are sagging patches.
On the outside, keep a lookout for the following:
missing, twisted, decaying, peeling, broken, scorching, or buckling shingles
Clogged or slow-draining gutters and downspouts
Loose or worn material around chimneys and vents
Your roof can most likely be repaired rather than replaced if it is less than 15 years old. Just remember that a little leak will not go away; rather, it will get worse.
Roof leaks are frequently the result of a much bigger problem. If left untreated, the risk of structural deterioration increases, as does the chance of structural deterioration. Regular inspections by a fort Wayne roofing business are your best defense against a leaking roof. Keep an eye out for leaks and discuss the state of your roof with your contractor on a regular basis.
Fort Wayne Roofers
Fort Wayne, IN
(260) 233 7260