Imagine it is severely pouring. You are delighted, the warmth is on, and you are inside your home. Up until you see water dripping above your head. You see a noticeable moist spot on the ceiling as you rush upstairs. Somewhere water is dripping.
Is it coming from the roof's pipes? You shut off the water. When a half-hour has passed, the moist area has grown larger. You appear to have a leaky roof. What do you then?
First, call reroofing contractors to install a new, leak-proof roof or repair it as soon as yours begins to leak. Then, follow the steps mentioned below until the roofers arrive.
What to do when your roof starts leaking?
1. Move things out of the way
Of course, you do not want to damage your possessions when your roof leaks. It is time to clean up the situation if there is a leak over your clothes, bed, or furniture!
Nobody wants their valuable possessions destroyed by water damage. Not to mention that some materials retain moisture and emit a foul mildew odour. So remove whatever you can from the path as soon as you can until reroofing contractors arrive.
2. Investigate the attic
Take a flashlight and climb into an attic or crawlspace if you can access one. Based on where the leak first shows in the ceiling below, you can locate it in your attic or crawlspace.
However, the path of water from a leaky roof is not linear. Instead, a roof leak usually results in water flowing down from the damaged roof toward the closest joint.
The leak will then find a way out, where it will cause the spot you can see in your ceiling. This makes it challenging to identify the source of a leak in the roof, leading to significant problems and ultimately requiring a new roof Melbourne.
3. Catch the water
In order to capture any water that may be pouring from your roof, you should place a sizable container under the leak.
4. Take pictures for insurance purposes
If the damage qualifies for a claim under your homeowners' insurance, keeping records of the damage will be helpful when reroofing contractors submit the claim.
It demonstrates not only the extent of the roof damage but also the other components that were compromised.
So, keep records if the roof leak damages your kitchen, computer, television, furniture, or bedding. Thanks to your insurance, the roof could be fixed, and the lost things might be replaced.
5. Try to find roof leak causes
The next step is climbing onto your roof to investigate the area and identify the source of the roof leak if you feel secure and comfortable doing so.
However, the best course of action is to handle a leaking roof from ground level and wait for expert assistance.
Look for the following causes:
- Look for areas of the roof that seem fragile or have age-related deterioration. For example, lifting edges, melted tar, and crumbling materials.
- Make sure all your shingles are there and that they are all resting flat, flush, and without any gaps. If not, you will need a tiled roof restoration.
- Check for lifted flashing because of dry and cracked caulking. Also, flashing areas that have moved out of position because of missing nails.
- Look for bigger objects, such as tree branches that have fallen, that may have weakened or penetrated the roofing materials when they hit them.
- Water cannot drain properly if your gutters are clogged with leaves or other debris, which might lead to a leaky roof.
In conclusion
Leak management is best accomplished with the assistance of a roofing company Melbourne. Even while you can lessen the damage caused by a roof leak in the near term, using expert materials and installation is the only method to fix a leak fully.