When a leak shows up on your wall or in your ceiling the main problem happened quietly and only now snowballed to your attention. Although these may seem like common sense, we want to provide a few simple steps that could save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars in repair.
What should I do when I see water leaking from my ceiling?
- Poke a hole in it. As the circle of water in the ceiling expands, take a screwdriver, a drywall saw or any sharp utensil and poke a hole in the middle of the stain. This simple hole drains the built up water, allows the drywall to air out and many times will stop the water damage from expanding across the ceiling.
- Catch the water. This seems silly and like common sense, but we see it enough to mention it. Call us to stop the source, but don’t forget to take care of the moisture on the floor and surrounding area. Put a bucket or container under the drip and use towels to soak up the rest. If the leak is bad enough the container fills up, check back and keep it emptied.
- Turn on a fan. A simple floor fan can do amazing work in drying an area. Getting wet is usually not the main problem, it’s when things stay wet that the damage (and the repair bill) grows.
You might wonder, “How can I find a leak on a flat roof?” We’ll answer your questions here.
How to Identify the Cause of a Leak
Prior to taking steps to remedy your home of the effects of a leak, consider the importance of identifying the cause of the leak. This will ensure that more damage doesn’t occur from a persistent leak.
1. Check the attic for signs of water damage. Any contractor who inspects your leak should be getting into the attic and finding the exact entry point of the water.
2. Once on the roof, measure to the point of damage that you found inside the attic space. At which point the leak should become obvious.
3. If it’s not easily seen at this point, you will need to start gently lifting shingles or looking behind siding to find signs of damage. You will be looking for things like water stains and rusty nails.
4. Typically, leaks will come from poorly installed roofing material such as flashing, gutters, shingle over lay and more. So it’s important to also inspect everything in the surrounding area, such as pipes and chimneys, to see if the leak is possibly traveling from a few feet away.
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Call us and we can repair roof leaks throughout the Severn and Anne Arundel County, MD area. Don’t let a little leak turn into an expensive renovation.