The most common reason people go to the emergency room, says one hospital, is headaches. We all love playing Doctor using our internet search engines, so a mere headache becomes an emergency. But what about a leaking roof? Is a leaking roof an emergency?
Live With It?
You cannot live in a house without sanitary plumbing; it is against building codes. Your home must be habitable. If a leaky roof means you cannot live in your house, then yes, you have a roofing emergency.
What do you do in a house? (Hey, hey, we’re keeping this PG!) You:
- Cook
- Eat
- Sleep
- Live
- Use bathrooms
If any of the family’s daily routines cannot be performed because your roof is leaking, then you have a full-blown, call-the-roofer roofing emergency.
On the other hand, if the leak is small and seems only to show itself during the wettest, windiest weather, you may not need to rush to contact your local, helpful residential roofer. Wait until morning, and when you reach your roofer’s office, describe your issue in a calm, clear voice.
No point in taking your emotions to an 11 when a 3 will do. Describe the extent of the leak and when you notice it. Then work with your roofer for a non-emergency roof repair (it will cost less than an emergency visit).
Pot After Pot
How can you determine how bad the roof leak is? During sunny weather, you may not notice, but during a rain shower or thunderstorm, you may be able to fill pot after pot with the invasive water.
Time the drops; the faster the water flows in, the larger the water droplets, the greater the emergency. A tiny drip at a steady but easily measurable rate may not be a big deal; if you only need to empty the kitchen pasta pot once a day, the leak is probably not an emergency.
This does not mean you should ignore the leak! Make the call, arrange a non-emergency visit, and let your roofer decide how best to deal with the roof leak.
Ceilings
Water sometimes infiltrates through a roof leak slowly, gradually moving down through your sheathing, rafters, and insulation to saturate the drywall of your ceilings. If you notice a slowly spreading stain without any actual water dripping down, you have a roof leak but not an emergency.
The ceiling and leak will not fix themselves, so do not ignore a roof leak. The longer you leave the damage, the more extensive and expensive the damage will be.
How Much is Enough?
Your central Ohio or Cape Coral home is probably your most valuable asset. Help it keep its resale value and curb appeal. When facing a roof leak, ask yourself, “How much value do I want to lose over this?”
Obviously, nobody wants the value of their home to drop, but a roof leak that damages your roof, attic, ceilings, and walls does just that.
How much damage will make you call a roofer for an emergency call? Use these yardsticks:
- Abrupt, violent storm damage or blunt impact — That is an emergency roof repair (and a claim on your homeowners’ insurance)
- Visible damage inside your home, such as falling drywall — That is definitely an emergency since the value of your home is also falling
- Appearance of mold or mildew, or a musty smell permeating your home — Emergency roof repair and a separate call for a drywall contractor
- A leaky pipe, condensation from the bathrooms or kitchen — Not an emergency and not a roofing issue
What is Emergency Roof Repair?
What happens at your local, helpful residential roofer’s office when you call to report a leaky roof? Your roofer will ask you questions based in large part on what we have described above. For a roofing emergency:
- As soon as daylight and weather permit, your roofer will dispatch a crew (one or two roofing technicians and a well-equipped truck)
- Skilled roofers will use fall arrest equipment to safely climb onto your roof (you should never do that!) to track down the source of the leak
- The roofers will inspect the interior of your home to see firsthand the evidence you see of the emergency roof leak
- The roofers will also check the attic since a leak may start in one place on the roof and travel to appear elsewhere inside your home
- Based on experience and evidence, your roofer’s technicians will perform the necessary repairs or provide you with a detailed Scope of Work if the project is large
Allstate Exteriors & Restoration in our two locations — central Ohio and Cape Coral, Florida — is ready to help with your roof emergency. We offer full-service roof repairs and roof replacement. Contact us today to find out how we can help you protect your family and defend your home.
