If your roof leaks when it rains hard you may have an issue in any one of the following areas.
Roof leak visual.
Let s examine a few common causes of leaks so you can keep an eye on your roof.
Sometimes it s obvious to see that you have a leaking roof.
Debris like leaves pine needles or twigs can trap water against the roof.
But what you can t see might be devastating.
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.
The water can seep into the roof.
The goal is to find the leak before the entire roof goes bad.
Slow roof leaks can be deceptive because what you see might seem minor.
Warped or buckled woodwork.
Yellow or brown stains on ceilings.
Mold come in many different colors and not just the dreaded black color but also purple and red.
Sometimes the roof water leak is more subtle showing up as a very small spot.
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.
Some roof leaks are tough to locate.
You may notice water dripping or dark stains start to form on your ceiling.
But it s equally important to fix the roof leak as soon as possible to prevent more damage.
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.
Once you locate the source of the water mark the area.
Skylight leaks in heavy rain are a common source for roof leaks.
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.
Water will reflect light so bring a flashlight along.
Make sure you keep the roof clear so water will spill over it fast.
Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak.
Identifying the true location of roof leaks in the attic.
Leaking through windows or a fireplace.
To do this one person goes onto the roof with a garden hose.
The other person goes inside the attic with a bucket and a strong light.
Some of the first signs of a roof leak include the following.
A musty odor indicating the possible presence of mold what to do if your roof leaks.
Wet spots on ceiling or interior walls.
If you have an attic the easiest way to spot the leak is to up there on a rainy day.
Common areas of roof leaks during rain.
Weather events such as a heavy rain or a snow storm may also lead to a roof leak.