How To Find and Fix a Roof Leak

Picture this scenario: you’re sitting in your living room watching TV, and suddenly you see water dripping from the ceiling. Sound familiar? No matter how you discover the drips, a leaking roof is a serious issue that needs to be handled quickly. Allowing the problem to fester can lead to significant damage to your home and possessions. You’ll also encounter bigger repair bills than if you’d chosen to be proactive. You can call a roofer to inspect your roof, find the leak, and fix it, but many roof leaks can be fixed without calling a pro.

Unless water is constantly dripping from your roof or you see where the water is entering during a rainstorm, it may be tricky to find just where the leak is at. Even if you can see water dribbling down your walls or coming from the ceiling, that may not be the actual point where the leak originates. One way to find the source of a leak is to look at your ceiling and search for any discoloration or bubbling — leaks are often around such areas. Penetrations — which include chimneys, vents, and plumbing that projects from your roofing — are a very common source of leaks.

You may have to actually get onto your roof to see where the problem is.

Here, roofing expert Kenneth Clark talks about how to detect hard to find leaks:

There’s no one way to do this correctly, the goal is to be thorough. Alternatively, instead of going onto your roof you can get into your attic with a flashlight. If you have someone that can stand outside with a hose and spray water onto the roof, you’ll be able to more easily spot the leak. Otherwise, take a flashlight and look for cracks and damaged areas. If you can see any water stains, mold, or mildew, that’s a sure sign that you’ve found the general area where the leak is at.

This is how professional roofer Danny Lipford detects roof leaks:

Fixing Roof Leaks

Finding the leak is half the solution, next you’ll actually need to get onto your roof and do some repairs. If the leak is stemming from cracked housing or a broken seam on your roof vents, the vent will need to be replaced. While slapping on some strong duct tape or caulk may seem like a feasible solution, it won’t last very long at all. While replacing your vent, you may also need to replace any missing or pulled nails with new nails or rubber washered screws.

Missing Siding and Cracked Caulk

If water is dripping down your walls or around your windows, it’s a sign that the problem may be cracked caulk or missing siding. There are many places along dormer walls, around windows, in siding knotholes, and between corner boards that can allow water to seep in. If the caulk in these areas has broken off, is cracked, or damaged, water can penetrate behind flashing and make its way into your home.To fix this problem and stop the leaks, take a putty knife and gently pry around the edges of the caulk to dig it out. When you choose a replacement, it’s best to go with a quality product such as silicon and latex caulk. Be sure to also check the siding above the flashing and replace it if it’s rotted, cracked, damaged, or missing altogether. To get a secure fit, overlap the new piece of siding over the step flashing by 2 to 3 inches.

Patching Small Holes

If you’ve had anything mounted onto your roof, such as an antenna or satellite dish, it can leave holes that can let in surprisingly large amounts of water. Mounting holes left in shingles can also lead to rotting and damage many years before you even notice anything is wrong. To fix small holes that are causing roof leaks, use flashing — don’t simply put in caulk, as that’s not a lasting solution.

Sometimes, you’ll need to replace shingles themselves if any are missing or damaged to the point that they’re letting in water. It’s very common for residential homes to have asphalt shingle roofs.

Here’s one way to fix leaks if you have asphalt roofing:

This is a good technique for a quick fix, or if you simply want to stop the leaking while you search for a professional to replace or repair your roofing. If you feel uncomfortable getting up on your roof or you’re not mechanically inclined, definitely consider calling a professional. It’s safer and you’ll save more money having it done right the first time than making mistakes and paying for someone to fix what you’ve done wrong. For homeowners who feel confident going the DIY route, finding and fixing your roof leaks can save you quite a bit of cash.