Looking for a Roof Leak?

When it’s raining on the inside, you have two options to quickly address your leaking roof. Call a professional roofer or try to locate the leak yourself (and then call in someone if it’s a complex roof repair). For most people it comes down to how handy they are and how much time they are willing to devote to doing the repair.

One thing about roof repairs I see over and over, is they can be deceiving. Water can run over beams and travel for long distances before deciding to show up. Even when you’re able to narrow down what part of the roof is the source of the leak, you still need to narrow down the exact location. Our experts have been identifying leaks for decades and they still get stumped occasionally. Sometimes, our crews will spend hours using our leak detection tools and running water over an area before we are 100% confident we’ve found the culprit.

Getting started

Grab your flashlight and head to the attic. Start from the source of the leak and work your way out. It’s easiest when it is still raining because the water crystals will reflect the light. One advantage of having the Peak Roofing & Construction team is we’ll have crew members doing a water test on the outside of the structure while the roof leak search is happening inside. This can speed up the process significantly. Be sure to pay attention to water stains on the wooden frame/studs. If it’s late at night and you don’t find anything, try again the next day. You may be able to see the sun shining through holes in the roof.

Always be careful when walking in your attic. It’s not uncommon for people slip off a beam or overestimate the strength of the materials used to cover their insulation. The last thing you want is another home repair project to patch a hole in your ceiling.

Hard to find roof leaks

The more challenging leaks are ones coming from gaps and small inconspicuous holes. In worse case scenarios, here is our approach:

• Trace the water leak as far up the structure as you can. Measure down from the peak of the roof to the highest point of the leak. Then measure over from a gable end to the leak.
• After the weather passes and the roof has a chance to dry (always keeping safety concerns first), climb onto the roof and mark off the measurements you took below. The goal is to get you close to the source of the leak.
• If the leak is still not apparent, start working your way upwards since water runs downhill.
• The next step is to thoroughly soak the roof with a hose to try and replicate the issue so you can narrow it down further.

Roof leaks are simply one of those things that can look so simple from the inside but be difficult to find and fix. Peak Roofing & Construction has the expert teams on call and ready to assist. Call us at the first sign of a leak. Our experts will come out as quickly as possible to minimize any damage and protect the value of your home or commercial business.

About Peak Roofing & Construction

Peak Roofing & Construction is family-owned, with 30-years of experience. Bonded, insured and accredited, we provide roofing, gutter, fence, window and exterior facelift services. Guaranteed. Call (972) 335-7325 in Dallas-Fort Worth (residential & commercial) or 281-290-7325 in Houston (commercial roofing).