So you think there might be a leak in your roof, but you aren’t sure how to go about finding it. No problem. If you suspect a leak, then your first step should be to call a roof repair company, or your roofing contractors (if they offer maintenance). More likely than not, they will be able to locate and fix your leak relatively quickly, saving you time.
If you want to find the leak yourself, or if the water damage is getting to be too severe and you can’t wait, then here are some helpful tips to locate the leak.
Don’t disregard safety
Even if the leak is doing significant damage and you’re trying to find it as soon as possible, you shouldn’t forget about your own safety. Getting onto and walking around on a roof presents a substantial safety risk that you shouldn’t ignore. If the roof is covered in ice or snow, or it’s wet from rain, you shouldn’t try to get up there yourself. You can wait for better weather, but at that point, you might as well just call the professionals. If the weather makes for a dry roof, then you should always work with another person and follow common safety practices on both the ladder and the roof. Your roof won’t get fixed any faster if you’re in the emergency room.
Spray the roof
If you’re up on the roof and you’re trying to find the leak, a good technique is to spray the roof with your garden hose. If the area where the water is dripping in the inside of the house is accessible, have someone watch that spot and tell when it starts to drip more. You can also find the leak on the roof by watching for bubbles as you spray the hose. Mark the spot once you find it.
Plug the hole
If your leak is severe and you don’t have time to wait for a professional, then you can plug it temporarily yourself. However, most leaks come from a fault in the base layer of your roof’s construction and will require the expertise of professional roofing contractors. If the leak is in the outermost layer, you can use caulk or some time of rubber or plastic sheet to prevent any more water damage.
While roofing repair and maintenance are a common part of a homeowner’s responsibility, you can vastly reduce how much you spend on repairs with proper maintenance. A homeowner typically spends between 1% and 4% of their home’s value on repair and maintenance costs, which usually increase as the house ages. That means a $200,000 home can cost about $2,000 in repairs each year. The best way to keep those costs low is to properly care for your home and take proactive measures to prolong its longevity. A roof in need of repair was first a roof in need of maintenance. For roofing contractors near you, contact Roofworks today.
