subject: Top Signs You Need Your Roof Fixed [print this page] A leaking roof is every homeowners nightmareA leaking roof is every homeowners nightmare. It can do extensive damage in a matter of minutes, its a direct threat to the very structure of your house, and you can seldom fix it yourself. If youve got water dripping for your ceiling right now, do not hesitate to call a roofing professional immediately. Once youve done that, however, Ive got a few DIY tips to share with you for dealing with the problem and hopefully minimizing the impact.
This might sound crazy, but first and foremost youre going to have to drill a hole in your ceiling. This is because you need to give the water the easiest path out of your attic and into a bucket, otherwise it will continue to pool up where you cant see it and do serious damage to the stability of your roof and ceiling. If youve got one leak going, put a hole right there or youre probably going to have several more in a few minutes.
Next up, lets minimize the damage to your actual living space. Run a long piece of string from the hole youve drilled down into a bucket. The string will allow the water to travel out of your ceiling without splashing all over your tables, your carpet and, well, you. Now that youve got that dealt with, its time for some detective work before your roofing professional shows up.
If you can get into your attic, do so now, and bring a flashlight. If theres any silver lining to this situation, its that the source of your leak will probably not be hard to find. Odds are very good that the actual source of the problem will be further up the roof than the small swimming pool thats forming in your ceiling.
If youre not finding it immediately, start taking a closer look. Search along the many points where water is more likely to find an entrance: anywhere beams meet, damaged shingles and insulation, the flashing around the edge of your chimney, or any seams in your roof itself.
Finally, a word about roofing safety: make sure youve got stable footing at all times in your attic. Youve already got a small stream coming through your ceiling, the last thing it needs is your left foot joining the party. Most of all, never climb around on top of your roof when its raining or snowing. Remember, when in doubt, wait for a professional!
