Your roof is designed to protect your home from elements such as rainwater. Unfortunately, when your roof springs even a small leak, water can enter your home and cause some serious damage. If you've recently spotted a leaky roof on your home, there are some things you'll want to do right away to minimize damage and have the issue resolved.
Contain Leaking Water, When Possible
If water is actively entering your home or attic, do your best to contain the water by setting down a bucket or other type of large container. This will prevent further water damage and/or drywall damage to your home. If you cannot safely place a bucket inside your attic to contain the water, don't risk it.
Contact a Residential Roofing Company
Next, it's time to call a reputable roofing company to come assess the damage and pinpoint the exact source of the roof leak. Often times, roof leaks can be difficult to locate because water follows gravity's path. Depending on the pitch and style of your roof, the location where you're actually seeing water enter your home may actually be far away from the location of the leak.
In addition to determining the source of the leak, a roofing company should be able to provide a detailed explanation of the proposed repair and a quote for the costs.
Explore Temporary Repair Options
Any reputable and experienced residential roofer should be able to recommend and perform a temporary repair until a more permanent solution can be done. In many cases, this will be something as simple as securing some plastic tarping over the location of the leak on your roof.
Check Your Home Insurance Coverage
If your roofing company believes that your roof leak may have been caused by a storm, high winds, or other adverse weather conditions, there's a good chance this could be covered by your home insurance policy. Ask your roofing company to keep detailed documentation of the damage, then call your insurance agent to begin the process of filing a claim. You may still have to pay your deductible, but having your insurance company cover major repair and replacement costs can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Dealing with a leaky roof can be stressful, but by knowing what to do and how to act quickly, you can have the issue diagnosed and repaired by an experienced residential roofer in no time.
When you develop a roof leak, you don't have time to ignore it. Issues with leaks can cause problems as simple as incoming water and as wide-ranging as mold accumulation inside your home, which is why you should never let an issue sit. However, if you aren't careful, you could develop problems with roofing that is simply open to the elements, allowing rain and snow to enter your home, melt, and contribute to problems like mold growth. On this blog, you can learn more about the kinds of roofing issues that you could be faced with, and what to do about them.