Is a Leaking Roof An Emergency?
As a homeowner, finding water leaking from your ceiling can be your biggest nightmare. Whether you notice the leak while you’re in the house, or notice it when you arrive home taking immediate action is always suggested. If you ignore the leak it could progressively worsen and create even more serious damage to not only your roof but the rest of your home. Continue reading to learn the steps you should take as soon as you see that the first drop of water drip down from your ceiling.
Contain the roof leak
You don’t always need to physically see water dripping down from your ceiling to know that you’ve sprung a leak somewhere along your roof. Bulges in your ceiling or even discoloration can be warning signs that you have water damage somewhere in your roof. These bulges and discoloration are from water pooling inside of your ceiling, and as soon as that load becomes too much for the ceiling to bear, it will all come crashing down damaging your ceiling and potentially other parts of your home. By placing a bucket under the dripping water or where you see the potential drip can help contain the water preventing more damage done to your home. Many people place a board across the bucket, helping contain the constant annoying dripping sound.
Release the pressure
The next step to take is to grab a screwdriver and puncture a hole through the bulge. But why would you cause more damage to your ceiling? By creating this hole, you help drain the pooled water alleviating the pressure put on your ceiling. If you fail to alleviate this pressure your entire ceiling could collapse damaging the rest of your home as well.
Try to Find the source
If you’re confident that you know exactly where the leak is coming from and you’re able to access it cover the exterior surface with a large tarp to prevent any more water from getting in. If you are unable to locate the breach in your roof, calling a professional contractor is the best possible solution. Unfortunately, if the weather is already harsh, roofers can’t do anything until the rain subsides. In this case, your best bet is the bucket method and hope that the rain ends soon.
It can be very very dangerous to ignore a leak in your roof. It is extremely important to act quickly to ensure you minimize the damage to your home. Many people ignore stains in their ceilings because they don’t see any water physically dripping, so they think it’s no big deal. Like all issues in life, avoidance will not fix your leaky roof. Many times that you notice damage in your home, it’s already too late to do a quick fix. Have your roof annually inspected by a professional to ensure you keep your home protected and in tip-top shape. Let Mitchell Roofing provide you with a free roof inspection and help you determine the best next steps for your roof and your budget. We service all of Largo, Clearwater, Pinellas Park, Seminole, St Pete Beaches and more.