You’re sitting comfortably at home, and all of a sudden, drops of water fall on your head. You look up, and you see it – a leak! It is surely a cause for concern, but the last thing you want to do is panic.
The most important thing to do is act quickly to minimize the losses. Calling your roofer right now is a top priority, but there are a few things you can do yourself as soon as you notice your roof is leaking.
Read on and find out what to do to avoid further damage to your home before your local roofers arrive to take over.
1. Control the Damage
Move your electronics, rugs, furniture, and any other valuable possessions away from the area with the leak as quickly as possible. If you can’t move them out entirely, cover them with plastic sheets.
It’s particularly dangerous if the leak occurs close to electronics or electrical wiring. You then have to turn off all electronics near the leak. Turn off the electricity in leak-affected areas at your fuse box or call your electricity supplier to have your home de-energized.
2. Contain the Water
Unfortunately, there can be a lot of water collecting on the roof, which you don’t see yet, and you need to contain it. First, place a bucket under the leak. Use two buckets so that you can swap them when one is full. Place an old towel or rag under the bucket to prevent water from spilling out. If you see paint bubbles on the ceiling, water is definitely collecting inside of them. Puncture them so that the water can drain out.
Water pooling on the roof is very dangerous if too much of it accumulates. If you can see the leak is spreading across the ceiling, find the wettest area and poke a small hole for water to drain, using a simple ladder and screwdriver. Make sure the bucket is placed underneath while you are doing so. This will allow you to control the leak before too much water accumulates on the roof and causes the ceiling to collapse from its weight.
3. Find the Source
Once you have contained the damage, you will have a moment to locate where the leak is coming from. Go to your attic and look for any holes, gaps, stains, watermarks, pools of water, discoloration, or visible damage. However, don’t go onto the roof as it is too dangerous. Leave that part to the professionals.
You can try to see from the outside where the leak is. If you manage to notice it, it’s the first step to dealing with the problem quickly. Some of the most common reasons for a leaking roof are a strong storm that hit recently, a clogged gutter system, old and worn out shingles, or other similar issues.
4. Temporary Fix
The first thing that may come to your mind is using a tarp, but since it’s dangerous to climb onto the roof, especially if it’s raining, it’s not the best choice when you see a leak.
However, you can use it in your attic and plug the leaks, preventing water from flowing further. An excellent and effective solution is also the use of roofing tape, caulk, or roofing cement. These items can be purchased at any hardware store, and it’s a good idea to always have them at home.
However, remember that these are only temporary solutions and won’t protect you from future storms.
Now Is the Time for Experts to Come
By following the steps above, you will reduce the damage to your home and prevent further issues from developing. However, it’s imperative at this stage that the entire problem is looked at by a professional who will assess the damage and find a long-lasting solution.
Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding has been serving homes and businesses in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin since 2003, and our team of storm damage repair experts is ready to fix your leaking roof in no time. We will repair any damage that causes a leak and tell you about any weak points on your roof that could result in a leak in the future.
Get in touch with your local roofing experts for a free roofing estimate!