When heavy rains fall in the Bay Area, detecting roof leaks becomes a lot easier for homeowners and commercial property owners. And our phone starts to ring with requests to inspect the damage to see how serious the problem is.
Short answer: If you see water damage, the problem needs fixing! The hidden damage is likely already extensive.
Detecting Roof Leaks Demands Action to Fix the Leaks
Signs of water stains running down walls or extending across ceilings clearly indicate a roof leak. Roof leaks are often caused by small holes, missing shingles, or gaps in metal flashing around vent pipes. And older roofs will always develop leaks eventually. While fixes for the leaks are pretty easy, tracking the true cause of the leak can turn out to be a headache.
Leaks that go undetected can cause tremendous damage to your home’s interior through the rainy season. Drywall, lighting, flooring, furniture; the list goes on. But as a seasoned East Bay roofing contractor with decades of experience detecting roof leaks and fixing them, we can share a few simple tips for locating roof leaks more quickly.
1. Be vigilant: Notice the leak as it occurs
Make a habit of scanning your ceilings and walls for signs of water seepage. Making the effort to track a leak when it first appears will save you a lot of frustration in fixing the problem. Tracing a roof leak back to its original source using stains left behind on walls and ceilings can be very tricky and may not tell you the whole story. Do a quick inspection every time it rains heavily to stay ahead of accumulating water damage.
2. Make it rain with a hose to find leaks
A more active approach involves creating your own rain event with a garden hose. If you aren’t sure that you’re dealing with a roof leak, head to the attic or the room under the spot at which you suspect a leak may exist. In the attic, use a flashlight and have someone direct water to the roof above that spot with the garden hose. This may uncover the leak. Then, examine the rafters and roof decking in the attic above the spot where the water came in for signs of previous damage.
3. Try to follow the path of the leak
Follow any existing wet spots or water stains through the roof decking or up the rafters to reach the highest point inside. Take measurements from the roof peak to the leak’s highest point.
Alternatively, call us for help with measurements to detect roof leaks where they actually begin.
4. Do a visual roof inspection
Go outside and transfer the measurements you took inside to the exterior of the roof. Closely examine your house’s roofing materials and fixtures like skylights and flashing to see if you can find out the exact location of the leak. Keep on looking higher up on the roof. There is always a chance water is running down the shingles before finding the leak point and coming into the building.
Contact Us for East Bay Roof Leak Detection and Roof Leak Repair
Detecting roof leaks isn’t as easy as it sounds. So if you cannot find the leak’s source, it’s time to call in the pros. The team at Century Roof and Solar are Bay Area roofing contractors that can make your life a lot easier. We will inspect the whole roof to find every spot where age or storm damage may have created a spot where a leak can start.
We provide the most advanced infrared/thermal imaging roof leak detection and roof leak repair services to fix the problem once and for all.
To say good riddance to your roof leaks before the damage gets extensive and expensive, call (888) 233-7548 or contact us online.