For those of us that want to enjoy the nice warm weather, all of this rain is discouraging. On the bright side, if you are trying to find a leak, rain can be a valuable tool to identify where your roofing is compromised.
In nature, water always wins. The smallest gap in your roof will lead to leaks which in turn causes mold, fungus, dry rot and other problems. The best time to identify any water issues you are having is during a week of extended periods of rain such as the one we are currently having in the Hudson Valley region.
3 Tips to Determine if My Roof is Leaking
1) Watch the Flow of Water: Stand on ground level and watch as the water runs from your roof, to your gutters, and through the down spout. If the water is not making its way through the drainage system, you either have clogged gutters or a gap in the piping. Wait until the weather dries and check it out.
2) Inspect the Attic: When its raining it is smart to walk around your attic with s flashlight. Inspect the insulation first making sure none of it is wet. Then look up to the plywood to see if there are any wet spots. Finally you want to look directly around all vents to make sure there are no gaps.
3) Inspect your Ceiling: A bad leak will expose itself on your ceilings, especially if they are made of sheet rock. Look at the paint as it will be the first to show signs that water is coming through. Exposure on your ceilings likely means you have a bad leak and it is time to immediately call in a roofing professional.
These are quick and easy ways to identify 99% of roof leaks while it is raining. These tips are fast to check out yourself and do not require you to go on the roof during a rain storm, which is the last thing you should ever do.
Stay tuned for part 2 of roof leaks, how to find and pinpoint a roof leak.