How to find and repair a roof leak

Here are the tips of our roofers on how to find, troubleshoot and repair a roof leak.

The source of most leaks is difficult to find because it is not necessarily from where the leak occurs. In order to find this source of leakage, follow the advice of roof leak repair Colonial Heights .

A winding course

Water usually comes from damaged, broken or missing materials. It can also come from poor insulation around skylights or chimneys for example. Once the water passes in the roof, the route can be long, hence the difficulty of finding the origin of the leak. It can flow along sheaths, roof rafters or on the upper face of the ceiling before finding a place to accumulate and drip, inevitably, into your living rooms.

Looking for a roof leak

Look for roof leakage during the day. Equip yourself with a flashlight and go into the attic or attic. Borrow only paths that can support your weight, such as secure structural members, and never pass over the insulation or the direct upper surface of the ceiling, as it may cross it. Start over where the leak appeared and grope for moisture along the framing elements.

If the weather has been dry for some time, look for visible water marks, stains or discolorations on the wood caused by moisture.

Then turn off the lamp and try to find a hole where daylight passes through the roof.

If you locate the leak and still rain, put a bucket under the leak on an area with proper support. Let the bucket collect the drops and repair the leak when the weather clears.

Do a simple test of the roof leak?

If you cannot find the cause of the leak from the attic, attic, or simply by visually inspecting the roof surface, wait for dry weather and ask a friend to help you do a water test. To do this, a person climbs on the roof carefully with a garden hose. The other person goes back inside the attic with an empty bucket and a strong light.

However, if your attic is accessible, a person can climb into the attic while the one on the roof floods it, starting from the bottom to precisely locate the leak. It then moves slowly until the water of the leak appears in the attic.

Once you have located the leak with a bit of luck, put a thin element through the hole to mark its location. Mark the surface of the roof with chalk, if any. You will finally proceed to the repair of your roof.

Renovation and repair of the roof

The precise methods of repairing a roof leak depend on the roofing material and roof construction technique before considering a repair of your roof.

Sometimes a simple cleaning accompanied by an evacuation of bulky gutters can suffice. Otherwise, it will be necessary to replace the missing roof elements (tiles, slates ...), broken or cracked. Also check the strength of the shingles to replace them if necessary.

If the origin of the leak occurs on a chimney stump, masonry work will be expected and it will take the flashings.