How to Tell if your Roof is Leaking

If your roof is leaking, or even if you just suspect there might be a leak, it’s important to ask a specialist roof repair company to come and have a look. Even a small leak can cause a lot of damage to the ceiling, walls, and both the interior and exterior of your building.

Here are five signs that suggest you may have a leak in your roof.

If on a rainy day you can hear dripping inside your ceiling, chances are you have a leak. Don’t do what many people do – they forget about it the instant it stops raining and the dripping stops. Once you hear dripping in your ceiling call a roof repair specialist as soon as possible.

Remember also that, just because you don’t hear dripping the next time it rains doesn’t mean the leak has miraculously fixed itself. It could be that the wind is coming from another direction and the rainwater is not being pushed into the cracked tile or lifting roofing.

Over a period of time, if a drip isn’t taken care of, it will work its way through your plaster ceiling. Once this happens, the amount of dampness in your ceiling cavity may be significant and the need for repair is urgent.

As stated above, once evidence of a leak shows itself on your ceiling, it’s time to act.

One sign that your roof is leaking may be a water stain. This may look like a large puddle on the ceiling which, sometimes, is ringed with brown discolouration. Other times, the stains are smaller and may be difficult to see, particularly if they are in darker corners of the room.

Another sign of damage that may indicate a leak is paint peeling from the ceiling. This is caused by water under the paint separating it from the plaster substrate.

Leaking may not be restricted to interior areas of your home or business. Take the time to check for water spots or peeling paint on the soffits or exterior walls of your building.

The presence of damage in these areas could indicate a roof leak or damage where the walls and roof meet. Alternatively, it could mean there is an issue with your guttering or roof flashings.

Every so often, take a look under your roofline 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.

If you have a concrete tile roof and notice cracking in the tiles, chances are there is a leak. Same if you have iron or metal roof tiles that are lifting. These may not leak every time it rains but, once the wind blows in the wrong direction, you can guarantee that rainwater is being forced through that damaged portion of roofing.

Many people think, just because they can’t hear dripping, things must be watertight. Not so!

Sometimes, a drip is not heard because the water entering your ceiling is running down a ceiling truss and onto your ceiling – not all leaks create an audible drip.

If there are signs of damage to your roof, it is likely that rainwater is being forced through those places and you should quickly get that part of the roof repaired.

Green growth on an exterior wall can occur on the shaded side of a building. However, it can also signal a leak in the roof, or a problem with the guttering or down-pipes. Cleaning the growth off will make the side of your building look better, but only for a while. A roof repairer should be called to check for leaks.

If you suspect your home or business may have a leaking roof, contact us today.