Rain is something the Pacific Northwest is all too familiar with. And with record levels hitting the books, we’re seeing an increase in roof leaks. Usually, when you start seeing water on the inside of your home, it’s too late for anything but a repair. Before anything else, contact Achten’s Quality Roofing to get things in motion. But what do you do until the roofing contractor arrives?
Inside First
It’s most important to deal with the inside first. Taking care of the water inside your home will reduce costs and damage in the end. In most cases, water pools at the ceiling until it finds a point to escape, typically a light fixture. To keep it from spreading, find the wettest spot or a bulge and poke a small hole in the ceiling to allow the water to drip into a bucket. This helps to minimize the ceiling damage.
Point Of Entry
Once you have the water draining into a bucket, try and locate the point of entry. Start by looking inside, typically in an attic, keeping in mind that the leak in the ceiling may not align with the actual leak in the roof. Often times, the water travels down the slope of the house meaning the roof could be leaking at one point but entering the inside of your house at another. It can be difficult to find the leak in the rain, so do the best you can.
Temporary Fix
If you are able to locate the leak from the inside, you can use either roofing cement or roofing tape to temporarily fix the leak until the roofing contractor arrives. If you are comfortable with getting on the roof, caution advised, putting down a tarp is the best option to minimize a leak. You will need a tarp large enough to cover the top of the roof and down past where the leak is. Secure the tarp with 2 x 4 boards with staples or nails, making sure they are not too long to go through the roof.
These steps are only a temporary fix until the roofing contractor arrives to repair the leak. Only do what you feel comfortable with doing. Achten’s Quality Roofing does provide emergency tarp-off until the leak can be completely fixed.