How To Know If Your Roof Is Leaking

So many times home owners roofs are in need of repair or even total replacement but we don’t see the signs until it’s too late and more damage has been done. Some leaks can be small while others are much larger but regardless of the size of the leak in your roof, the damage is being done! So the question is “how to know if your roof is leaking?” If you don’t catch this in time, you could experience all sorts of issues such as water spots, pealing paint, mold in the walls and attic, foundation issues and more.

Here are some helpful tips to help you know if you have a leaky roof:

- You Can See Damaged or Missing Shingles and/or Debris In Your Gutters and DownspoutsMissing shingles, problems at the seams between your shingles and other structures such as chimneys, and debris in your downspouts could point to troubles with your roofing material. A roof that’s getting patchy is more prone to leaking over time, and even though you don’t see a leak inside your house, there could still be a slow leak into the attic or crawl space. When you see damage occurring on your roof, ask for an inspection so that you can learn more about the state of your roof and possible leaks.
- Water Stain in Ceiling or wallsA water stain may look like a large puddle on the ceiling, often ringed with brown. However, it may not look like that at all. Some stains are difficult to see as they occur in darker corners, while others are small stains that could be a sign of a much larger leak. If you notice discoloration on your ceiling or walls, take a closer look for mold, moisture, and other telltale signs of a leak.
- Dripping from Ceiling or Lighting fixturesIf you see drips, moisture on the walls, or moisture stains but don’t see them often, you may still have a leak in your roof. Even if that leak seems to go away, get it checked. You may have an ice dam caused by the freezing and thawing of melting snow and ice. This thawed water moves under the shingles and then freezes again, causing intermittent leaks. The rule with leaks: if you see moisture, investigate, even if it seems to go away. Chronic moisture problems can cause permanent damage.
- Dark Spots on Interior Walls From MoldIf you have a mossy or moldy exterior wall, it could be that it’s in a less-than-sunny spot, but it could also point to a problem with your downspouts or gutters. While they’re not made out of roofing material, downspouts and gutters form an integral part of your roofing system as they move water away from your roof and down into the ground. When one is leaking, you may see signs of erosion below the gutters and signs of moisture on the sides of your building exterior, depending on where the leak is located. Adding gutter covers and gutter heating and repairing sagging gutters can reduce your problems with clogged or icy gutters.Every once in a while, take a look under your roof line outdoors. What do you see? If there are water spots under there, you may have trouble where the walls meet the roof. Water spots in this location can point to problems with your flashing.

Contact us today for more information.