Important Steps to Take When Your Roof is Leaking

When thinking about all the different home maintenance tasks that need to be completed, the roof is typically left off of the list.  It's one of the most important parts of your home because it protects the rest of the house from all the different elements we see in Nashville, but it's always taken for granted until shingles start falling off or water starts dripping into your living room. 

If you are unfortunate enough to detect a roof leak, there are several things you must do to help minimize the amount of damage that can be caused.

Move everything out of the way.   You're already dealing with a roof leak, so why add to it by allowing your furniture or other belongings to be damaged?  Moving rugs, furniture, clothes, or whatever is in the area of the roof leak will save you a lot of extra work once the leak is repaired.  If you can't easily move heavy furniture, cover it with plastic to protect it from water damage.

Contain the water.  Use buckets, pots, plastic tubs...whatever you can find to collect the water that's dripping into your home.  This will help ensure your floors don't suffer from water damage like your roof and ceiling have.

Relieve pressure from water bulges.  If you see a bulge in the ceiling, water is collecting in that area.  If not removed, it can spread and cause further damage to a larger area of the ceiling.  The best way to handle this situation is to take a screwdriver and poke a small hole in the lowest part of the bulge to allow the water to escape.  (Be sure to hold a bucket underneath to collect it.)

Cover the roof with a tarp.  If you can't get a reliable roofing contractor to repair the leak right away, covering the area with a tarp is your best next move.  Roofs are very slippery when wet, so do not attempt to climb on your roof until it is safe to do so.  When you are able to get on the roof to cover the leak, be sure to use a tarp that is at least 6 millimeters thick.  It needs to be large enough to extend at least 4 feet over the leak area and up to the roof peak.  Tuck it under shingles to help keep it in place and prevent more water from entering.

Take photos for insurance purposes.  You can never document too much when dealing with homeowner's insurance.  Take photos of everything related to the roof leak.  If other items in your home were damaged from the leak, take photos and document this as well. 

Call a reputable roofing company.   Even a small roof leak should be left to the professionals to ensure it is repaired quickly and correctly.  At Nashville Roofers, we always inspect the rest of the roof to see if there are other problem areas that need to be addressed. 

While a roof leak can be a stressful problem to deal with, knowing what to do when it happens will help minimize the amount of damage caused to your home.  Put Nashville Roofers on your speed-dial so you can get in touch with us the next time you're faced with dripping water in your home!