It is important to feel safe and protected in your home. The outside elements such as rain and snow can, unfortunately, sneak into your home no matter what you do. If an incident occurs, it is best to act quickly – especially if there is a risk of water damage to your home.
If you do find your roof leaking, there are some things you can do to manage and protect your roof from any further damage from the water.
We at MG roofing have provided you with some steps you can follow if you find yourself in this situation:
Contain the roof leak
One of the first steps you should take is to contain the water and prevent any further damage. You can do this by using a bucket, pot, or anything else you can find to capture the water to reduce the damage that the water can cause.
If you don’t contain the water in time, the costs to repair the damage to your home could outweigh the cost to fix your roof this is also true for slate roofs. So, make sure you have several containers near each other, this way they can trap the water. Make sure to switch them out regularly to reduce the risk of the water overflowing.
Keep your belongings safe
Make sure to clear your belongings out of the way to prevent them from getting damaged from the leaking roof. When your roof leaks, the last thing you want is for the water to damage your possessions. So, if there is a leak over any of your furniture or clothes, clear them out of the way to protect them from the water. Especially to stop any damp, mould or mildew appearing on your belongings.
Relieve the pressure
If the leak is spreading on your roof but has not broken through yet, you can poke a small hole into the ceiling to allow the water to drain. This can allow you to have control over the leak, before the water gets too heavy and causes your ceiling to collapse.
The best method to do this is to use a screwdriver to carefully puncture the lowest point of the bulge, and make sure to put a bucket underneath to catch the water.
Find the source
Now that you have contained the damage as much as possible, it is now time to try and locate the original point of where the leak began. If you have an attic, head inside and look for any major gaps, holes, or visible damage. If you can’t find anything, look at where the water is pouring in, but do keep in mind that the original hole may still be hidden. If you have a slopped roof, the hole may be outside, and the water could have flowed down before entering.
Getting on your roof to inspect the outside is best left to the professionals, to prevent injury or further damage.
Call the professionals
If there is any damage to your roof, you need to call a local roofer immediately so they can assess the situation and find a permanent solution. The longer you wait, the worse the problem could get. Make sure to get the roof repaired immediately. It’s important to maintain your tiled roof, too! You may not be aware of this, but often fascias and soffits can be a contributing factor to a leak or build-up of moisture. If you are considering slate roofs or tiles.
If you have any queries about your roof or have come across any issues, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team of roofing specialists will be happy to help!