Here’s how to handle a roof leak while waiting for help.
Not only can a leaky roof throw a wrench in your weekend, but it can also cause greater problems for your home. Many homeowners may not notice a roof until rainy weather hits, and it’s too late for anything but a roof repair. But in the meantime, there are a few steps you can take to minimize and prevent damage while you wait for your roofing contractor to repair your roof. Here’s how to handle a roof leak while waiting for help.
Minimize Interior Damage from your Roof Leak
When it comes to a leak, the first priority is to minimize water damage in your home’s interior. Often, leaks will spring into your home’s interior after pooling within the wall or ceiling. The water will slowly pool until it finds an escape route, usually in a weak point at a light fixture or vent. A leak may begin to find multiple escape routes, which can make the damage look much worse than it is. A way to minimize this damage is by locating the point where water is pooling. Look for the wettest spot or a bulge in the ceiling, and poke a small hole into it before draining the water into a bucket.
Find the Point of Origin for your Roof Leak
Locating the point of entry for a leak can be difficult. It’s a good idea to start inside, in an area such as the attic. Keeping in mind that the leak in the roof and the leak in the ceiling may not align, look for areas where water is leaking through. Depending on how your roof slopes, leaks can grow in a number of different ways. For example, if your roof covering is over a layer of plywood, then you can look for the leak, with the understanding that water usually moves from the leak in the roofing material towards the nearest joint in the plywood.
Contain Your Roof Leak Until A Roofing Professional Arrives
Depending on the location of the leak and the severity of the damage, there are a few options available for maintaining a roof leak until help arrives. Roofing cement or tape is one option for temporary roof repair that can be applied to the inside of your roof decking or the outside of the roof. If your roof leak is severe and you’re comfortable scaling the roof, tarping is an effective way to prevent further leaking until a roofing professional can come and repair the leak. Minimizing a roof leak is key to preventing unsightly water damage throughout your home, as well as a number of structural problems that can result from extensive water damage.
Put JC Services To Work For You
If you need a roofing, siding, or guttering job done, then JC Services is perfect for your needs. With our expertise, we can offer dependable service anywhere in Anne Arundel County and its surrounding areas. We work with many different affiliates, including JamesHardie, Anderson AW, Owens Corning, GAF, CertainTeed, and Velux Skylights, to make sure you get the highest quality service possible.