What to Do When Your Roof Leaks in Heavy Rain

When rain has started pouring and you have started to notice water start to drip from your ceilings, you might probably have started worrying about all the costs of roof repair. Unfortunately, a leaking roof is a clear sign that your roof has some damage and is in need of repairs. Even minor leaks can tell you that there have been areas that are no longer protected.

While you might think that you can handle a leaking roof for a few more weeks or even months, especially when the rest of the roof seems to be in perfectly good condition. This is a dangerous and problematic mindset that you ought to avoid falling into. When leaks occur on a property, it is clear that there is already damage. If left alone, this could worsen and cause even more damage to your internal roof structure.

The best thing for you to do is to definitely call a licensed roofing contractor to assess your roof and identify what the cause of the leak is. While you won’t be able to get a team over to your property during the rain, you can call them and schedule an appointment at the soonest possible time. Accordingly, leave a bucket under the leak so it can collect the water and also serve as a marker for where the leaks occur.

Before you get a team there, you also need to put up safety measures to make sure that the water does not drip and damage your furniture, flooring, or get in contact with anything electric. Here are just a few things you can do right away when your roof starts leaking.

Waterproof Your Home Interior

While you can’t actually waterproof all your materials, what we mean by this is to get containers to hold the water so that it doesn’t spread around the area. If the ceiling is dripping right onto the floor, it can potentially be hazardous as people can slip on the water puddles that form. If the drips are landing directly onto a carpet, it might not seem like much of a problem but this is likely to cause damage to the flooring underneath. Other pieces of furniture that are too large to move can be covered with waterproof covers or plastic layers so that these won’t get damaged.

Find the Source

You don’t need to go outside your home and scour each and every shingle in place. Instead, you can try to pinpoint where the water is dripping from specifically. This can be more difficult than most people would expect but it is actually a crucial step to help you, as a homeowner, understand what the possible causes could be.

Check the Attic

Since the attic space is the area directly underneath your roof, checking this area will also help you identify where the source of the leak is coming from. This will also require a more thorough check which you can do by bringing up a flashlight. Your main goal is to just look for areas where water seems to be coming in from. It might not be dripping water but if you feel around the walls and sides and feel for wet areas, these could be potentially damaged areas where the water could be coming in from.

Preventing a Leaking Roof

When a roof starts to leak during a heavy outpour, this isn’t caused by the rain itself. Most likely, the roof has already been damaged in certain areas, forming gaps or tiny crevices through which the water is able to enter. While it is often too late to stop a leaking roof, there are several things that you can do beforehand to prevent future leaks.

Roof Design

When it comes to leaking, flat roof designs are often more prone than pitched roofs. The reasons for this include the inherent lack of proper drainage and the shorter lifespan of metal roofing materials compared to other roofing options. Because flat roofs lack the pitch in gabled roofs that allow for water to easily slide down the sides, water pools tend to form on top of these roofing structures. Pooled water can either evaporate over time and clear up the roof space or can cause some damage, due to the added weight, and even seep in slowly through the small gaps between the panels.

Another home design that can cause roof leaks is the inclusion of skylights. Because skylights are added window panels to the roof, the fixtures give way for small spaces where water can possibly enter through. In the same way, chimneys are also a problematic home design that makes roof leaks more likely.

Roof Maintenance

Aside from the actual design of the roof, how it is maintained will also matter. Roofs that are not maintained regularly will eventually become damaged. Minor repairs, clearing the gutters, and cleaning the roof will go a long way to lengthening the structural lifespan; thus, preventing roof leaks from occurring.

However, when your roof does start to leak, fixing any issues should be done as soon as possible to avoid any problems in the long term. The quality of your roofing in Montgomery County MD will also be affected by the roofing team that you pick. The best way to ensure that your roof won’t leak again is to get an experienced team of roofers to help you.