How To Find A Leak in your Roof

Leaking Roofs

If you’re looking up this information, you are probably having a very bad day. We sympathize. If there’s water coming into your home, you have an emergency on your hands.

It’s not only that there’s water coming in, although that would be bad enough. It’s that once water gets in once, it usually finds its way in again (and usually in greater amounts.) Most of the materials used on the insides of home are not water resistant, so when they get wet they tend to become havens for black mold and other nasty stuff. Black mold is known to cause headaches and respiratory problems, among other things.

Dealing With a Leak

First things first. If you have a drip in your ceiling (or you get huge bubbles under latex paint), get a bucket (a big one), some string, and a nail or thumbtack.

Tie the string around the nail, making sure you have enough line to reach from the ceiling to your bucket. Position your bucket, then, at the lowest point of the leak or bubble, insert the nail or tack. Your drywall should still be firm enough to hold it.

The water should come out and slide down the string into the bucket. The string is especially useful if the bucket can’t be put directly under the leak, or if the leak is an intermittent drip. This way you won’t go crazy with the incessant drip, drip, drip.

Finding the Leak

The next thing you need to do is go in search of the leak. You will need to do this while it is still raining, because water gets everywhere and you won’t be able to pinpoint where exactly it’s coming in unless you actually see the water infiltrate.

You can start with the area directly above where the water is dripping, but don’t be too surprised if that’s not the source of the leak. Water can travel a considerable way, seeking the easiest path.

If your shingles are still in good condition, the most likely place for water infiltration is in the following areas:

  • the ridge cap
  • valley flashing
  • “boots,” the rubber seals around exhaust vents and pipes
  • blocked gutters backing up under the decking

Style Roofing knows how important the quality and look of a home’s exterior is to an owner. Each of our roofing specialists has been properly trained in the installation of residential roof systems using a wide range of materials. Style Roofing offers a unique line of products that can be manufactured to fit any budget and architectural requirement. Examples of residential roofing systems commonly installed by our company:

  • A-Frames
  • Asphalt Shingles
  • Cedar Shakes
  • Flat Roofs
  • Metal Roofs
  • Synthetic

Once you find the leak, try to fill it with putty or roofer’s tar. Be aware, though, this is only a stopgap measure. It will not hold for very long, because water is insistent about find its way into places.

Call a reputable roofing company immediately and make an appointment for a roof inspection as soon as possible, or this won’t be the last leak you have to handle.

About Style Roofing

Style Roofing is a family-owned roofing company founded in 1992. With 20 years of experience and over 5,000 happy customers, Style Roofing maintains their commitment to service and excellence by using only the best products and the most skilled tradesmen. For more information, visit them at https://styleroofing.com or call  703-754-9906 today!

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