What to do when your ceiling leaks?

Nobody wants water dripping from the ceiling in their home. Whether you discover the leak when you arrive home or when you return to your house, you must act quickly to avoid additional property damage.

CONTAINING THE LEAK

If you detect a leak or dampness coming from a bulge or discolouration in your ceiling, there’s a good chance that water is pooling on the opposite side of the bulge. Place a bucket, trash can, or some other container beneath the location of the drip or suspected leak.

If you don’t have a drain, another option is to put the container on its side, prop up a board inside it so that the drips fall onto the board rather than the accumulated water, or build a sudoku puzzle out of popsicle sticks.

Next, use an old screwdriver to puncture the middle of the bulge where water is collecting. Though it may seem odd to punch a hole in your ceiling to prevent a leak, the new hole will allow the water to flow freely while reducing tension on the rest of your ceiling.

If water accumulates and pools, the entire ceiling might collapse.

Cover the outside surface of your home with a big tarp if you are confident you know where the leak is coming from and can get to the source without danger. If you can’t reach it, or don’t feel safe doing so, contact a roofing professional right away. Many reputable roofing businesses provide emergency tarping services.

Unfortunately, if your roof is continuously leaking due to weather, a roofer cannot repair the leak until the precipitation has stopped. The tarping service will serve as a short-term solution to reduce damage within your house while your roofer repairs the problem.

Your roofing contractor will examine your roof from the outside and inside, generally via the attic, to ensure that it’s in good condition. The underside of the roof sheeting can reveal signs of water damage, but it isn’t always reliable. Damage must also be looked for on the top of your home’s shingles.

WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF WAITING?

When it comes to roof leaks, it is critical to act quickly. Roof leaks do not correct themselves or improve on their own. Even if the leak isn’t severe yet. Get it fixed right now. We frequently hear from homeowners who noticed a stain on their ceiling or perhaps some bubbling for a while but believed it was minor.

Leaks in your roof are rarely repairable. Leaks in your home’s roof will not be fixed by trying to avoid or ignore them. When you detect damage on your house’s roof, it is generally too late. The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends inspecting your roof twice a year, in the fall and spring.

Here’s what you should look for to avoid a fixable problem from becoming a costly and irreversible repair:

On the inside of the building, you want to look for:

  • Dark spots
  • Spots where outside light shines through
  • Sagging

On the outside of the building, you want to keep an eye out for:

  • Missing, warped, rotting, peeling, broken, blistering, or buckling shingles
  • Clogged or slow-draining gutters/downspouts
  • Loose material or wear around chimneys or vents

If your roof is less than 15 years old, it may be repaired rather than having to be replaced. Just keep in mind that a little leak will not go away on its own; rather, it will just get worse.

Roof leaks are often just the tip of the iceberg. If left unaddressed, both risk and structural erosion will rise. The greatest defence against a leaking roof is to conduct regular inspections. Be watchful for any leaks; search for them and discuss your contractor’s roof upkeep on a regular basis.

Leak Diverter

Another option is a Leak Diverter by ITP Packaging. The Leak Diverter is an excellent temporary solution for preventing stock damage, and preserving your equipment, workplace, people, and consumers from stray leaks in the canopy by catching them in a bin.

It’s a cheap and quick way to address roof leaks while reducing the risks of falls and spills by keeping areas wet. With the straps readily adjustable for levelling and placement, the pinched corners assist direct the liquid towards the centre for better drainage.

 

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