Easy Ways to Identify the Source of Your Roof Leak

Have you found a leak coming through your roof?

Roof leaks are a nightmare for any property owner, whether you’ve discovered damp patches on your walls or there’s rainwater dripping through the ceiling. While it’s a stressful situation, there are several ways to check where the source of the issue lies.

Follow these steps.

1)     Confirm Your Roof Is Leaking

Before you start investigating why your roof is leaking, the first step is to confirm that it’s a roofing issue you’re dealing with. Common signs of roof leaks include water stains on your ceilings, watermarks down the outside of your building or musty smells coming in through the walls.

Many people find these problems begin after heavy rainfall exposes something wrong with their roof’s waterproofing. If you think you have a potential roof leak, it’s time to look a little deeper at why this may be happening. If you ignore it, it could damage your paintwork further or even cause issues to your roof’s structure.

2)     Look for Internal Damp

If it’s safe to access, head into your loft or attic to see if you can see any roof issues up there. You’ll need good lighting, so take a torch. Clues about the source of the leak include damp wood and mould, dripping water or you may spot some damage from the inside.

This process is easier if it’s actively raining, so if the weather has turned, try to time your checks carefully so that you can see any drips coming in.

3)     Scan Your External Roofing & Gutters

While you should never attempt to climb up onto your roof unless it’s a flat roof that doubles as a balcony or terrace, you can scan it from the ground. Look for signs of anything missing or out of place, such as displaced tiles or shingle.

If there are watermarks present, consider whether they could be caused by overflowing gutters or broken downpipes. This could indicate a problem with your roofline’s drainage system rather than direct damage to the roof.

If the leak if occurring below a flat roof and you can see onto the area, is water pooling and can you see any tears in the material? For some older flat roofs, a full replacement may be required if its reached the end of its lifespan.

4)     Call a Professional Roofing Company

You can call a roofer to carry out an inspection at any point, especially if you want an expert to confirm the source of the leak. Once identified, your roofer should recommend the best course of action.

As it’s not a normal occurrence to experience a roof leak, the solution will usually involve roofing repairs, whether that’s replacing flashing, reapplying slates or conducting more complex structural work.

They may also be able to suggest roofing upgrades to consider in order to waterproof the area as much as possible in the future.

Need a roof inspection?

The team at Collier Roofing is happy to help. We work across Surrey, London and local areas, including Hooley, Kingswood and Netherne on the Hill. Contact us now to arrange an inspection and a free, no-obligation quote.