Roofing Leaks – A Homeowner's Guide

If you have a roofing leak, chances are that a feeling of panic may have just set in. Don't worry, most leaks start out small. The best thing that you can do is take care of the small one and call someone out to the house to make sure there is not a larger problem. Leaks can become larger issues if they are not handled correctly. 

Contain the Water

If you have a roofing leak, you need to find a way to contain the water that is coming into the house. You don't want it to just hit the floor and begin creating a puddle. This may cause water damage to the carpet or wood flooring. Try to find a bucket or large bowl that can keep it all contained. When the container gets full, have a backup container to slide into its place as you dump it. If the water is coming in pretty fast, you don't want to leave this area unattended.

Call a Roofing Expert

No matter what type of leak you have, it is best to call in a roofing expert to help. If a leak isn't handled, it can get larger and create a hazardous area inside the home. If this type of thing occurs during bad weather, call someone to come out to the house, but realize that they may not be able to help until the weather subsides.

When they do get there, do your best to give them an area to work. You may need to move furniture and any type of clutter out of the way. After a roofing expert gets there, you may want to take everyone into another room while he or she works. If the expert is just there for an initial consultation or estimate, they may not be prepared to take care of the leak at that moment.

Ask if there is anything that you need to do differently to handle the water and the leak until someone can come in and get everything fixed. While you are waiting, call your homeowner's insurance company to see what you need to do to file a claim. If you have your policy number available, it would make things easier.

Get Things Repaired

Set up an appointment to have a company complete the repair. You may need to take into consideration any type of weather that could cause problems. Before any work begins, you want to know how much it is going to cost and about how long it is going to take. Do the best you can to give them room to repair the leak. As this is taking place, you want to find out if your insurance company will write them a check directly, if they will write you a check, or if you are going to be reimbursed for the leak. Either way, you want to know how to pay the company doing the work. Remember that whatever money you or the repair company is given, it will be less than your deductible.