Leaky Roof? What to Do If Your Roof is Leaking | Mr. Happy House

what to do if your roof is leaking (1)
What to Do If Your Roof is Leaking Right Now

Your roof is THE structure shielding your house from all the weather elements. The roof of your house calls for high-level maintenance that ranges from routine inspection to occasional repairs. After all, they undergo a substantial amount of wear and tear from sun, wind, and snow. If your roof is leaking right now, then it is imperative that you look for solutions to safeguard your home today.

And once your roof begins to leak, it may become difficult to spot the source as it may show up far away from the source of leakage. As water passes through the roof, it will flow along the decking and top of the ceiling roof rafters, until it can find a way to move down inescapably onto your favorite piece of furnishing. 

Moreover, water leakage can make its way to the walls and cause serious seepage and dampness. If you are struggling with these issues and wondering what to do if your roof is leaking, then you have come to the right place:

What To Do When Your Roof Is Leaking

After all, your home is supposed to be the place that must be offering protection from the outdoor elements. Incidents can happen and it is wise to act accordingly without any delay. If your roof is leaking, there are several crucial things that you may do for managing the issues and reducing any probable damage from water. A few steps that you must follow includes:

Turn Your Water Off

Depending on the leak that is occurring, it may or may not be the roof itself and could be a broken pipe, however, in the meantime, make sure to turn your water main off. This is just a precautionary measure to take, because if you don’t know what may be causing the leak in your ceiling, it’s always better to be safe than sorry and take extra steps necessary to prevent any future damages.

Move any Nearby Furniture or Objects Out

If you can see that an area of your ceiling is receiving moisture, then it is most likely that your roof has an open spot and it already has damage. The last thing you will want is to allow your priced belongings to ruin in the procedure. 

When there is a leakage over the bed or furniture, you should clear the zone as fast as possible. Water damage may completely damage some of the valuable belongings and you cannot afford that at all. For instance, certain fabrics can trap moisture and lead to dreadful mildew growth. Thus, whatever is possible to move out of the way, you must do it as fast as possible.

Contain the Leak

If the roof leak is causing dripping or even water pouring into your home, you should try to contain the water as much as possible. So, get hold of garbage cans, buckets, towels, and everything else you can for capturing the moisture for reduce the perilous impact that the leakage can cause. Needless to mention, it may lead to moisture damage to your floors. You must have a number of containers at your disposal so that you are able to trap the moisture and change them from time to time for minimizing the chance of overflowing water.

Save Your Ceiling from Damage

Did you notice a sagging area coming from the ceiling? It is a sign that moisture is accumulating in that particular spot. Even though it may not be a great idea to create a hole in the affected area, if it’s required, you will have to do it. This is because if you leave it untouched, it may spread even more and cause irreparable damage to the walls or even cause the ceiling to collapse!

Further, it may eventually flare up on its own thus, lead to a larger mess. You may take a screwdriver to closely puncture the lowest part. Then you should put a bucket underneath so that it can hold the water. You may have to build many punctures if the expansion of the leakage is too large.

Tarp Your Roof in the Meantime (If Roof is Safe to Walk On)

When you see that you are not able to get the leakage fixed by these means, a tarp can be the best option. As you see that the roof is adequately safe for climbing, you should attempt to cover the problematic zone with tarping. But at times, it may not be easy to locate the affected area. You should go at least 6mm wide and cover at least 4 feet across the damaged area and move to the peak zone. 

Contact a Professional Roofer for Assistance

If you are thinking about what to do if your roof is leaking, the best way to ensure protection is to call your local roofing company to fix your roof leak. This is because the longer you choose to wait, the worse it can get. There’s nothing much you can do for managing the leakage, you will need to fix it with professional assistance. Professional roofers can repair the damaged zone and evaluate other signs of damage on the roof which might require renovation and reconstruction.

Once all the issues are fixed and the health of your roof is restored, there is a lot more you can do to maximize protection. And the best way to ensure this is by regular maintenance for leakage control. The roof endures much wear and tear, so it will again be exposed to the harsh weather elements. At times, finding the source of the leakage is more complicated and difficult than spotting a hole in the ceiling of the attic. So, it’s very important that you repair the roof without any delay

Why You Should Repair Your Leaking Roof As Soon As Possible

A leaking roof can cause many household problems. There can be several things that may go unnoticed in your home, but a leaking roof is not something you can afford to rest without any attempt to repair. That’s the reason you should be vigilant and attend to the issues as soon as possible. A leaking roof is something that will require your immediate attention and here are a few reasons why:

A Leaky Roof Can Deteriorate your Home's Integrity

When roof leakages are taking place for a long time, they can be extremely damaging to ceiling joints, wall frames, and rafters. Continuous exposure to moisture can lead to deterioration of wood. This will cause weakening of the frame of the roof and in the worst cases, it may result in the collapsing of the roof. 

Moisture seepage from the roof is equipped with only a single trail and it follows a downward way. It implies that not only the damage is caused on the upper part of the structure, but also impacts the overall foundation. It will be an extensive issue when you leave it unattended.

Prevent Mold Buildup

It goes without saying that wet wood will be susceptible to rotting. And moisture leads to the growth of fungus that cannot be avoided. Leakage of the roof can also pave the way for the growth of mold. 

It enhances the deterioration of wood and also debilitating health issues. A leakage in your roof can cause the mold to spread until it finally hits the HVAC system. The presence of various substances in the elements and forms toxins. For instance, black mold can generate spores which may lead to breathing troubles like asthma.

Prevent Your Home from Wasting Energy

If you believe that costly roof repairs are something that you don’t want to take up, you should factor in your electricity bill in this regard. Besides causing the roofing materials to get damaged, a leakage in the roof can also destroy the insulation of the attic. 

When insulation materials become saturated, it will take a lot of time for drying out and this reduces the resistance to changes in temperature. This may cause a copious amount of heat loss, leading to high consumption of power.

Roof Leaks can be a Fire Hazard

With leakage in roofs, the moisture content will wreak havoc on your insulation as well as electrical wiring in the walls. And this may lead to unwanted fire hazards. And when you have to fix a leakage in the roof, you cannot afford to waste time. If you fail to act in time, you may have to be prepared for pretty expensive repairs in the near future.

If a roofing structure has become weak owing to water damage, then it will require repair at the earliest. Otherwise, the damage may rise to exponential levels calling for costly repairs and even replacements.

Final Conclusions

A roof that is leaking can be extremely devastating for any homeowner. When you see the first instance of leakage, the first thing you should do is to identify the source and find out what to do if your roof is leaking. It is very important to be realistic and have a practical expectation about the leakage so that you can realize when you should go for emergency restoration. In some cases, it is best to have your roof inspected by a professional expert. If you see that the leakage is a severe and huge gush of water pouring in, then it’s high time you should address the leakage.

I hoped you loved this article about what to do if your roof is leaking, please like, comment, or share on social media so that we can keep posting more blogs about roofing, siding, and painting for you!

Other Roofing Questions You May Have:

Facebook
Twitter
Email

Need a Roof Repair in Northwest Houston?

Schedule an Estimate Today!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *