Find Where Your Roof Leak Is Coming From

find roof leak

Water damage can wreak havoc on your home and cause catastrophic issues if not handled quickly. Water damage from your roof is even worse, as it all trickles down and can lead to destruction on all the floors below it. Anyone who’s previously dealt with water damage knows that this could be a nightmare. If you have signs of water damage in your home coming from your roof, an essential first step is to find the roof leak. Knowing where it’s coming from is the best way to stop the water and halt the damage. Here’s how to find it.

Start In the Attic

Because the attic is directly under the roof, it’s a reasonable place to start the search for a roof leak. If your attic doesn’t have a light, take a flashlight, and scan the space for signs of roof leak water damage. Look for wet insulation, puddles of water, or darkened wood where the water hits it. Mold or mildew is another sign that the water is coming in from the roof to the attic. If you can’t find the entry point with a flashlight or the light in the attic, try turning the lights off. Allow your eyes to adjust, and then look at the roof to see if there are any spots of light. If you see any, that could be your roof leak site.

Inspect the Roofing Materials

When looking for where a leak is coming from, move from the attic to the roof. Try to stand above where the water damage shows up and inspect the roofing materials. If the interior damage is close to a wall or where a wall meets the roof, it could be from a gutter or damaged roof flashing. Things to look for include:

Damaged, torn, or missing shingles
Holes around solar panels, where you hang holiday lights or decorations, or the installation point for security cameras or satellite dishes
Space around exhaust fans and vents where roofing material may have pulled away
Leaks around skylights due to age, wear and tear, or poor installation
Damage from trees, branches, or debris that landed on your roof during a storm or high wind
Areas where someone attempted DIY repair instead of using a professional roofing contractor

If you still can’t find it, you can have someone stand in the attic while another person hoses down the roof. The person inside can watch for leaks or drips as the water from the hose hits the roof.

Hire a Professional

Many homeowners love a good DIY project, but sometimes it’s best to leave things to the professional, especially when it comes to a roof project. A roofing professional can inspect your roof, from the shingles to the flashing, the interior damage to the insulation, to find the leak and assess the damage.

Before climbing on the roof and risking injury or frustration from not being able to locate the source of a leak, consider enlisting the help of a roofing expert. Contact Premiere Roofing for a trustworthy roof inspection and a free estimate on repairs or replacement.

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