The half-dozen ways you can safely uncover a roof leak are all easy for the untrained eye to detect. All you need is an extension ladder. And no, you need not (should not!) go on your roof.
1. Spot
Spots on interior walls can indicate roof leaks, with water dripping down within the stud walls. If the spots are slightly damp or mushy to the touch, a roof leak is the most likely cause. Contact your local roof repair specialist right away.
2. Drip
Water dripping is probably a sign of a roof leak. Water follows gravity, and water coming in from the roof will work its way down through your attic and onto ceilings, where it will drip into your living space. Get your local roofer to investigate.
3. Brown
Brown discoloration on the ceiling or wall surfaces (drywall) indicates moisture building up within the drywall, likely from a leaky roof.
Drywall is gypsum plaster sandwiched between two layers of thick paper. When wet, it forms an ideal breeding ground for fungi and molds. They are responsible for the brown color.
4. Mold
Mold is not always brown. Common molds leave black and green stains on walls. Molds are attracted to any moist surface with very little air movement.
If you see mold growing on your interior walls, you probably have a roof leak and need immediate help from a nearby roofer.
5. Gone
Outside, if you can see your shingle roof from the safety of your front and back yards, look for missing shingles. Even severely damaged shingles can ruin the water-resistance of your home’s roof, causing a roof leak. The cure? Your professional roofer, called right away.
6. Grit
While you are outdoors — and if you feel comfortable — climb an extension ladder to your home’s lowest level of gutters. Peer into the gutters. See grit? The grit is granules falling off your shingles as the they dry out.
The granules offer protection, but the sticky chemicals in the shingles provide excellent protection against roof leaks. See a lot of grit? You can expect a lot of roof leaks. Get your neighborhood roofer on the job promptly.
Allstate Exteriors & Restoration in central Ohio is your local resource for all things roofing. Contact us today, and we can put a quick stop to any roof leak. We also handle other aspects of residential roofing, from new construction to total roof replacement.
