TroubleshooterA few questions, then an urgency level and next steps
Roof Leak Troubleshooter
A sagging ceiling or water near wiring means act now. Otherwise the pattern tells you where to look: every rain, wind-driven rain, snow melt or a storm. Photograph first, cover the opening safely and keep receipts.
On this page
Roof leak: where, when and what to do first
Answer a few questions about where the water shows and when it happens. You get the likeliest place to look, how urgent it is, and what to do before a roofer arrives. It does not replace a roofer's inspection.
Is the ceiling sagging or bulging, or is water dripping near a light, fan, outlet or wiring?
Yes, one of those is true
Act now
Act now: keep clear and cut the power if you can do it safely
Water near wiring is an electrical hazard, and a ceiling that holds water can fall. The CDC says never to turn power on or off yourself while standing in water, and to have an electrician check the system.
What to do
- If there is a gas smell, standing water near electrical equipment, or damage to the structure, deal with that first: leave, and call the gas company, an electrician or an inspector before anything else.
- Stay out from under a sagging or bulging ceiling and keep people and pets out of the room.
- Turn off power to that area at the main panel only if you can reach it from a dry spot. Otherwise call an electrician.
- Catch drips in a container and move belongings away. Photograph the ceiling before anything is moved.
- Call a roofer about covering the roof. Do not go up on a wet roof yourself.
- Tell your insurer if a storm or sudden event caused it.
No
When does water show?
Think about the last few times. A rough pattern is enough.
Every time it rains
What is near the spot where the water shows?
Look at the ceiling or wall inside, then at the roof above it from the ground.
A chimney, or a spot where the roof meets a wall
Deal with it soon
Likely failed flashing
Flashing is the metal or sealed trim where the roof meets a chimney or wall. HUD's inspection guide says to look for deteriorated or loose flashing, and NC State Extension asks whether flashing around the chimney is in good condition and properly placed to keep water out of the attic.
What to do
- Look from the ground, or with binoculars, at the metal trim around the chimney and along the wall. Do not climb a wet roof.
- Check the attic with a flashlight for stains or damp wood near the chimney or wall, if you can reach it safely.
- Photograph the stain inside and the area outside before any repair.
- Get written estimates from licensed, insured roofers. Ask each one to say which flashing is at fault.
- Cover the area temporarily if rain is coming and a roofer cannot come right away.
A vent pipe, a roof vent or a skylight
Deal with it soon
Likely a penetration: a vent, pipe or skylight
Anything that passes through the roof is a weak point. HUD's inspection guide says to check the flashing and joints around all roof penetrations for brittle or cracked flashing, and that leaking skylights are common.
What to do
- Note whether the stain is directly below a vent pipe, roof vent or skylight.
- Check around a skylight for water on the frame or stains on the wall beside it.
- Photograph the stain and the area before any repair.
- Ask a roofer to inspect the penetration and its flashing, and to say in writing what is wrong.
- Cover the area temporarily if rain is expected.
A wide area under an old, worn roof covering
Deal with it soon
Likely a worn roof covering
HUD's inspection guide lists damage to the roof covering as a sign to look for. NC State Extension says light coming through roof seams is a potential leak. A worn covering often leaks in several places, not one.
What to do
- Photograph the roof from the ground, and any stains inside, with dates.
- Ask for inspections from more than one licensed, insured roofer, and compare the written findings.
- Ask each roofer whether the roof can be repaired or needs replacing, and what each choice does for the warranty.
- If a storm damaged it, report it to your insurer before permanent repairs.
- Cover the worst area temporarily while you wait.
I can't tell
Deal with it soon
Source unknown: keep records and call a roofer
Water can travel along a rafter or pipe before it shows, so the stain is often not under the opening. A roofer can find the entry point; guessing leads to repairs in the wrong place.
What to do
- Mark the edge of the stain in pencil and note the date, then check it after the next rain.
- Look in the attic, if it is safe, for damp insulation or stained wood above the stain.
- Photograph everything with dates, inside and outside.
- Call a licensed roofer for an inspection, and a plumber if the stain does not follow rain.
- Dry wet materials within 24-48 hours where you can, so mold does not start.
Only in wind-driven or very heavy rain
Deal with it soon
Wind-driven rain: look at flashing, vents and openings
Rain pushed sideways by wind finds openings that stay dry in a gentle rain, such as loose flashing, vents and gaps around windows or siding. The leak may not be in the roof surface at all.
What to do
- Write down the weather and the wind direction when it leaks, because the wind direction points to the side of the house to inspect.
- Photograph the stain, and the matching outside wall and roof edge.
- Ask a roofer to check flashing, vents and the roof edge, and a window or siding contractor to check openings.
- Dry wet materials promptly so mold does not start.
When snow melts, or in cold weather with snow on the roof
Deal with it soon
Likely an ice dam
University of Minnesota Extension explains that heat from the house warms the roof, snow melts, and the water refreezes at the cold edge. That makes a ridge of ice that holds water on the roof, and the water finds openings in the roof covering and flows into the attic. HUD's inspection guide says the dam forces water back under the shingles and into the building.
What to do
- Do not work on a snowy or icy roof. Anyone on the roof in winter risks injury.
- In an emergency, a professional can cut channels through the dam so water can drain. That is only a temporary fix and stops working within days.
- A roof rake or push broom may damage the roofing, so take advice before using one.
- The lasting fix is to seal air leaks from the house into the attic, then add insulation. Use the attic moisture troubleshooter to look for them.
- Do not repair interior damage until the ceilings and walls are dry. Photograph it first.
Right after a storm that may have damaged the roof
Deal with it soon
Storm damage: cover it, document it and report it
After a storm, the first goal is to stop more water coming in until permanent repairs are made. FEMA describes self-help tarps from local municipalities and the Army Corps of Engineers' Operation Blue Roof for temporary covers. Whether the insurer pays depends on your policy and the cause.
What to do
- If there is a gas smell, standing water near electrical equipment, or damage to the structure, deal with that first: leave, and call the gas company, an electrician or an inspector before anything else.
- Photograph the damage inside and outside before any temporary repair.
- Cover the opening from a safe position, or have a roofer do it. Do not climb onto a damaged roof.
- Keep every receipt for temporary repairs, and hold off on permanent repairs until the insurer has inspected.
- Report the claim promptly and ask the insurer in writing what applies.
- Get written estimates from licensed, insured roofers before choosing one.
Not tied to rain at all
Deal with it soon
Not tied to rain: look at plumbing and condensation
Water that shows up in dry weather is less likely to come from the roof. It may come from a plumbing leak, an appliance, or condensation from warm, moist air meeting a cold surface in the attic.
What to do
- If there is a gas smell, standing water near electrical equipment, or damage to the structure, deal with that first: leave, and call the gas company, an electrician or an inspector before anything else.
- Check the room, bathroom or appliance above the stain for leaks.
- Use the ceiling water stain troubleshooter to work through plumbing and condensation.
- Use the attic moisture troubleshooter if you see frost, damp insulation or mold in the attic.
- Call a plumber if you find a leak, and photograph the damage before repairs.
What this page is for
A roof leak is rarely where the stain is. Water runs along a rafter or a pipe before it drips, so the spot on your ceiling can sit well away from the opening in the roof. This troubleshooter is for a homeowner who sees water inside and wants to know what to look at, how fast to move and what to do before a roofer can come.
It starts with safety. A sagging or bulging ceiling, or water near a light, fan or outlet, is treated as act now. Everything else turns on a pattern you can see: when the water shows and what sits near it.
The questions that matter
When does the water show? Water every time it rains points to an opening that sees all rain, such as flashing, a penetration or a worn roof covering. Water only in wind-driven rain points to sideways entry through flashing, vents or gaps beside windows. Water during snow melt in cold weather points to an ice dam.
What is near the spot? HUD's inspection guide says to look for deteriorated or loose flashing and to check the flashing and joints around roof penetrations. NC State Extension asks the same about the chimney. HUD also notes that leaking skylights are common. Those places account for much of what people find.
Ice dams
University of Minnesota Extension explains that heat from the house warms the roof, snow melts, and the water refreezes at the cold edge. The ridge of ice holds water on the roof, and the water finds gaps in the roof covering. The lasting fix is to seal air leaks from the house into the attic and then add insulation. Our attic moisture troubleshooter helps you look for those leaks.
Winter roofs are dangerous. The same page warns that anyone on the roof in winter, or working on it from below, risks injury. Channels cut through an ice dam only help for a few days.
Cover it, but do not climb
If rain is coming, cover the opening from a safe position or have a roofer do it. FEMA describes free self-help tarps from local municipalities and the Operation Blue Roof program run by the Army Corps of Engineers. Both are temporary. Keep every receipt, and photograph before and after.
Worked example: a stain beside the chimney
A homeowner sees a brown patch on the living room ceiling near the chimney wall. It shows up every time it rains, and the ceiling is firm and nowhere near a light. She answers no to the safety question and every rain, then picks a chimney or wall. The result is likely failed flashing. From the yard she can see the metal trim along the chimney is lifting at one corner. She photographs the stain and the trim, puts a bucket under the drip, and gets written estimates from licensed, insured roofers. Because the damage was gradual, she plans for the repair without counting on insurance, and she keeps the photos in case the roofer finds storm damage.
Insurance
Whether a leak is covered depends on the cause. Sudden storm damage is often covered, and wear and slow leaks usually are not. Photograph first, make only temporary repairs, and report promptly. Is my damage covered? helps you work out the question to ask your insurer, and the storm damage walkthrough shows how to document the outside and inside.
When to call a pro
Call a roofer whenever the entry point is unclear, whenever flashing or a skylight is involved, and whenever a roof has to be walked. Dry wet materials within 24-48 hours where you can, because mold can start soon after.
Next steps
If the water seems to come from somewhere other than the roof, try the ceiling water stain troubleshooter. Use the water damage drying checklist for drying, and the hiring a contractor checklist before you sign for the repair.
Sources
- HUD USER, Residential Rehabilitation Inspection Guide huduser.gov
- NC State Extension, Inspecting a house content.ces.ncsu.edu
- University of Minnesota Extension, Dealing with and preventing ice dams extension.umn.edu
- FEMA, Temporary roofing (Operation Blue Roof and self-help tarps) fema.gov
- CDC, Safety guidelines: reentering your flooded home cdc.gov
- EPA, A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home epa.gov