A water-damaged ceiling with water spots staining areas around a light fixture. These water spots are a telltale sign of a roof leak.

What to Do If You Have a Leaky Roof

It’s never wise to leave roof leaks alone. When you hear the telltale drip, drip, drip and find a leak in your home’s roof, it’s imperative to take a few critical steps ASAP. The faster you move, the faster you can get the damage repaired – and the less money you’ll have to spend on costly fixes or property replacements.

What if it’s your first time handling a roof leak? Not to worry. Today, let’s take a look at the most important steps after finding a leak in your home’s roof.

Move Crucial Items Away from the Leak

As a homeowner, the first thing to do after seeing a roof leak is protect your property. So, before doing anything else, move any important items away from the leaky spot! That means shifting decorations, covering furniture that you can’t slide away, and possibly covering the bare floor with a lot of spare towels.

Start to Contain Leaking Water

You can contain leaking water for quite a while, assuming you catch the source of the leak early enough! Large buckets can work in a pinch, but you can also use trash cans to contain leaking water if the dripping isn’t too fast yet. Just remember to empty the trash cans out before using them this way.

It’s always better to contain leaking water and protect the items you can instead of letting a leak run its course. Even in the best circumstances, a contractor may not be able to get to your roof for several hours or days. Until the problem can be permanently solved, it’s up to you to mitigate the damage.

Water damage on a ceiling in a bedroom. A leaky roof can cause unsightly stains and thousands of dollars in damage if not addressed quickly.

Try to Release Pressure from the Ceiling

At this stage, you need to prevent a possible torrential downpour of accumulated water. That sounds like a nightmare scenario, but it can happen, even if a leak doesn’t seem to be too big on the surface. The warning sign is when you see a dark spot (water stain) or bulb growing in your ceiling.

A big water stain means that water is pooling just behind the innermost layer of your home’s ceiling. Sooner or later, that water could get heavy enough that it bursts through the ceiling, making a big mess.

So, even though it sounds a little counterintuitive, you should poke a small hole in your ceiling with a broom or any other long instrument within the darkened area. Make the hole wide enough so that water drips freely down into a bucket or other receptacle.

It’s much easier to contain a leaking roof if the dripping is consistent and steady – it’s much harder to clean up after a big splash of water right in the middle of your living room, though!

Take Lots of Photos

All throughout the process and in the lead-up to a full roof repair, take regular photos of the leaky spot and your total property damage. Documenting the damage is crucial so you can file a successful claim for insurance later on.

In some cases, insurance companies may try to claim that the damage isn’t as drastic or costly as you claim. But with a collection of photos on your side, even the stingiest insurance companies will be hard-pressed to prevent you from getting financial assistance from your policy.

A woman snaps a picture of her home after noticing she has a leaky roof. This will make it easier for her to make an insurance claim.

Use a Tarp and Nails Over the Hole

It might be tempting to climb up and cover visible damage on your own roof, but it’s not worth it. Local roofing professionals like Stonewater can provide emergency tarping services to prevent further property damage while you stay safe and dry indoors.

Tarp and nails are just a short-term solution while severe weather persists, but they’re a simple fix that can save you money by preventing additional water damage to your home’s interior.

A tarp pulled over a leaky roof to prevent further water damage in the attic. It’s best to address roof leaks immediately when you detect them to prevent serious damage to your home.

Call a Professional ASAP

Once your roof leak is contained and dealt with as best as you can manage, call a reputable Texas roofing contractor to order an inspection and repair job. A qualified contractor will inspect your roof themselves to determine the extent of the damage, then figure out whether you need a new roof or if they can seal the hole and cover it with new shingles.

Whatever the case may be, a professional roofing contractor can make your roof as good as new, preventing the leak from spreading and halting other issues, like mold growth in the roof or attic. However, make sure you call a licensed roofing contractor with a reputation for top-notch work, like Stonewater Roofing. That’s the only way to make sure your roof is truly repaired and will last for decades.

Conclusion

While most of the above steps are important ones, they won’t permanently fix the issue. The only way to fully fix a roof leak is to call licensed, experienced contractors in your area.

That’s why Texas homeowners should get in touch with Stonewater Roofing. We’re capable roofing contractors who have lots of experience identifying roof leaks and repairing roofs just like yours. Not only can we quickly find the source of the issue, but we’ll repair your roof in no time. If a replacement is needed, you can trust us to be honest and transparent throughout the entire process. Contact us today to get a free quote!