Don’t let a leaky roof put your home at risk
Water stains, mold, and dripping are three key signs you need a roof repair or replacement.
Roof leaks can lead to structural damage, fire hazards, and health risks.
Quickly repairing your roof is crucial to preventing costly water damage.
Even a small roof leak can cause big problems, including costly damage to your home, so it’s important to repair roof leaks as quickly as possible. Learn why you should be aware of roof leaks and some common signs to look for to keep your home protected.
Watch for these telltale signs of a roof leak to minimize damage, repair costs, and potential health issues.
Do you see yellow, brown, or faint stains on your ceiling and walls? It’s likely due to a leaky roof. These water spots are often located in the center of the room but may be in the corners or along an exterior wall.
If water has reached your walls and ceilings, it's time to repair the issue to prevent mold, rotted framing, and damaged ceilings. Contact a local roof repair pro to find the trouble spot and repair it thoroughly.
"Water generally will flow across the top of the sheetrock or plaster until it finds the lowest point, and that is where the water will appear," says Ami Feller, owner of Roofer Chicks in New Braunfels, TX. "Often that means the water comes into light fixtures, because the weight of the fixture slightly pulls down the drywall. If this happens, no need to panic. Just turn off the fixture to stop the flow of electricity and call a professional."
If you have mold growing on an exterior wall, you probably have a roof leak. Use a measuring tape to determine how far the mold spot is from the corner or a door. Measure the same distance on the outside of the wall to look for the culprit. If the ground slopes toward the house or a downspout is emptying near the wall, you’ve likely found the root of the problem. A roofer can help you make a plan to fix the issue.
While wet surfaces or mold growth due to a leak aren't always visible, the moisture will often produce a musty smell. If you notice a lingering unpleasant odor in your home that doesn’t go away in a few days, it could indicate a roof leak.
If you see or hear dripping in your attic or anywhere else in your house, a roof leak is likely to blame. Even if the leak isn't always present, you should check it out to ensure it doesn't get worse. You may have an ice dam that formed when ice and snow froze and thawed. Even intermittent leaks can cause big damage.
If your shingles are compromised, water can enter your home. If you notice any curled, missing, or broken shingles on your roof, ensure you repair or replace them as quickly as possible.
If you spot damaged or missing metal flashing around the edges of your vents, roof, or chimney, water can leak into your home. If your step flashing rusts or becomes loose, water seeps inside.
Damaged flashing is often due to drying and cracking, storms, and high winds. You can sometimes do a roof repair on these spots without replacing your entire roof, but you'll want an expert to take a look.
"Chimneys are a very common source for roof leaks; I would definitely recommend hiring a professional to redo the flashing if that is the leak source," says Feller. "Ensure the contractor you choose is knowledgeable on flashing repairs and provides a warranty for the work."
If you notice pools of water on your roof, it’s worth having a roofing expert check it out. If you have a flat roof especially, water can sometimes create puddles in certain areas.
Watch for leaks by looking inside your home near where the puddle of water is located. Take a close look around the potential problem area, as the leak might not occur directly below the pool of water.
If your plumbing vent (usually a silver or white pipe sticking out of your roof) is torn or rotted, water can travel down the outside of the pipe and into your house. The vent boot is the protective housing around the base of the vent that forms a watertight seal against your roof. Replace your vent boot if it's damaged. If nails are missing at the base, but the boot looks fine, replace the nails.
Pro Tip: Be sure to cover any exposed nails with roofing sealant to prevent them from oxidizing, which will eventually lead to a leak when the fastener rusts out.
Roof leaks can lead to dangerous consequences for your home and everyone in it. Once water enters your home through the roof, you might face anything from structural damage to health problems.
Ceiling damage: Water intrusion can stain and weaken your ceiling and even lead to ceiling collapse.
Damaged drywall: When water runs down the interior structure of your walls, your drywall can sag, warp, and deteriorate.
Fire hazards: Your attic contains electrical wiring, and water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Water can also enter lights and other electrical fixtures, flooding them and increasing the risk of a fire.
Mold and mildew: The moisture that a roof leak lets into your house can jump-start mold or mildew growth that can quickly spread throughout your home, causing respiratory issues and other health risks for you and your family.
"Some things to look for that may indicate you should opt for emergency tarping or roof repair include missing or damaged shingles, interior water leaks, visible damage to the components of the roof, or signs of large debris, like tree branches, on your roof."
— Niki O'Brien, Operations Manager at Custom Exteriors LLC, Berthoud, CO
Unless you have extensive roofing experience, you should call a professional to handle roof leak repairs. The cause of a leaky roof isn’t always obvious, and a licensed roofer will be able to pinpoint the problem, determine the extent of the damage, and repair any damaged material to stop the leak. DIY roofing repairs also pose safety risks.
If you spot any signs of a roof leak, it’s best to call a local roof leak repair professional as soon as possible. The longer your roof has a leak, the more damage it will do. A pro should investigate any sign of water intrusion to determine the source and make any necessary repairs.
If you do find a roof leak that’s caused interior repairs, and you have the leak fixed, you should wait for another heavy rain (or two). That way, you can make sure that the leak is completely fixed before making any costly interior repairs.
The best way to handle a roof leak is to avoid one altogether. Keeping your roof maintained and in good condition will lower your chances of a leak. Here are some key maintenance tips to keep your roof from leaking.
Hire a roof inspector annually to alert you to any potential problems.
Perform a visual check for missing or damaged shingles or flashing.
Clean your gutters twice a year to prevent drainage problems.
Ensure your attic is properly ventilated and all vents are clear and working properly.
Whether homeowner’s insurance covers repairs for a leaking roof depends on the cause of the leak. For example, it typically covers the leak in the case of a sudden or accidental event (think: a tree falling on your roof during a storm). However, if the leak starts because you haven’t kept up on the maintenance or your roof is reaching the end of its life span, then insurance usually does not cover it.
It’s best to get your ceiling repaired after a leak. Otherwise, your ceiling can start to rot, and mold can grow, posing a health risk. Whether water is leaking into your ceiling due to a storm, broken parts of your roof, a burst pipe, or a broken HVAC vent, get your ceiling fixed as soon as possible. Water damage ceiling repairs cost between $45 and $55 per square foot.
Roof leaks can go undetected for months or even years. A smaller leak that doesn’t cause visible signs in your home’s living area may allow water intrusion for a long time before you notice it. The longer a leak goes undetected, the worse the damage will be, so it’s important to frequently check for signs of a leak to keep a small problem from getting much bigger.
