Slow roof leaks can be deceptive because what you see might seem minor.
Roof leak visual.
Let s examine a few common causes of leaks so you can keep an eye on your roof.
You may notice water dripping or dark stains start to form on your ceiling.
Skylight leaks in heavy rain are a common source for roof leaks.
Wet spots on ceiling or interior walls.
Sometimes it s obvious to see that you have a leaking roof.
But what you can t see might be devastating.
Warped or buckled woodwork.
Common areas of roof leaks during rain.
Leaking through windows or a fireplace.
Look in the attic with a flashlight for evidence like water stains trhen trace them up the roof and rafters to the entry point.
Water testing for roof leaks if you can t find the cause of a leak from the attic or by visual inspection on the roof surface wait for dry weather and ask a friend to help you do a water test.
To find the source of a roof leak.
Careful visual inspection of the roof surface above for possible leak points such as any anomaly in the roof surface membrane or coating or dust and debris accumulation that mark areas of ponding careful inspection of the roof drainage system for blockages or drain leaks into the building see flat roof drainage systems.
A musty odor indicating the possible presence of mold what to do if your roof leaks.
The goal is to find the leak before the entire roof goes bad.
To do this one person goes onto the roof with a garden hose.
Roof leaks will promote the growth and reproduction of mold because it provides its ideal environment a food source moist environment and minimal light.
The water can seep into the roof.
Make sure you keep the roof clear so water will spill over it fast.
Once you locate the source of the water mark the area.
Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak.
If your roof leaks when it rains hard you may have an issue in any one of the following areas.
Locating the exact source can be tricky because visible signs of a leak on the inside might be several feet away from either to the left right or below the actual source.
Sometimes the roof water leak is more subtle showing up as a very small spot.
Mold come in many different colors and not just the dreaded black color but also purple and red.
But it s equally important to fix the roof leak as soon as possible to prevent more damage.
The other person goes inside the attic with a bucket and a strong light.
Some roof leaks are tough to locate.
Weather events such as a heavy rain or a snow storm may also lead to a roof leak.
If your ceiling has a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the attic insulation push the insulation aside and look for flow stains on the plastic often water runs to openings in the vapor barrier such as at ceiling light fixtures.
If you have an attic the easiest way to spot the leak is to up there on a rainy day.
Some of the first signs of a roof leak include the following.
Water will reflect light so bring a flashlight along.
Debris like leaves pine needles or twigs can trap water against the roof.