Where is that Roof Leak Coming From?

So you’re noticing a drip from somewhere around your roof whenever it happens to rain? Luckily, many roofing leaks are easy to fix. Sometimes, it only takes a professional Orange County roofer a few minutes to a couple of hours to fix a leak. On the flip side, it can sometimes take hours to figure out exactly where that leak is coming from.

The first step to figuring out where the leak is coming from is to identify the leak in the first place. All too often, leaks can start out silent, and you won’t even know they’re there until they’ve caused lots of issues. For instance, your roof could be leaking into the attic, but it takes time for the leak to trickle down to the ceiling where you can actually see it.

So what do you look for to spot a leak? Check out water stains, of course, which can be subtle at first and will spread each time the leak makes it to your drywall. If you hear dripping but don’t know where it’s coming from, that’s another indication that you might have a leak. And, of course, an actual drip is a sign that you already have a big problem.

As soon as you notice symptoms of a leak, it’s essential to fix it. Even in dry SoCal, one rain can cause serious problems if you have a leak in your roofing system. So once you notice a leak, how do you find the actual source?

Get up in the attic

The easiest way to find a leak when you have an attic is to actually go up there. Walk around with a flashlight. If there’s been a leak for a while you’ll likely see signs including water damage or mold. You might also see discoloration in insulation.

Can’t immediately find a leak? Have someone spray the roof with water from a hose in the area where you suspect a leak. Watch carefully, and you’ll often figure out where the water is dripping through.

If your attic is insulated, you may need to look underneath the insulation for a leak. Lift up the insulation, and check underneath for signs of water damage.

Call in the professionals

What if you still can’t figure out where the leak is? In this case, someone will have to look for a leak from on top of the roof, and this is better left to the professionals. This is especially essential if you have a clay tile roofing system, as clay tiles can easily crack when you put weight on them.

Professionals will look at common weak spots in your roof to try to determine where a leak might be coming from. It might, for instance, be from a nail that pokes through the sheathing under your shingles. Nails that were supposed to go into studs sometimes miss, and can cause tiny leaks that build up over time. Other common issues are cracks in the actual roofing tiles, which allow water to seep down to the underlayment material, or cracks around the ventilation in your roof

Professionals will know where to look for each of these common problems, so they’ll likely find the leak much more quickly than you could if it’s not obvious. Plus, professional Orange County roofers will be safer up on your roof than you would.

Get it fixed

Leaks in your roof are not something you want to take lightly - not even in dry areas of the country. They can cause serious issues over time, including mold that could put your family’s health at risk. This is why it’s important to keep an emergency fund for your home, so that you can afford to pay to fix problems like these quickly and efficiently. Luckily, most leaks are small and won’t take much time or money to get fixed, but you shouldn’t put off this type of issue.

Schedule maintenance

One of the best ways to avoid leaks in the first place is to have an annual roof inspection from an Orange County roofing contractor. Affordable annual inspections can head off issues - like cracks and missing shingles - before they turn into larger problems that actually require calling in other contractors to fix walls and other issues.

If you have any questions, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established Orange County roofer, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every residential roofing need and situation. Wherever and whenever you need roofing services in Westminster or anywhere else in OC, you definitely can count on Luke Roofing.