Protecting Your Home: How to Find a Roof Leak

Throughout the summer and hurricane season, Florida is known for its rain and winds, which can often cause damage to your roof. During this time, roof leaks in Florida homes are a common occurrence. But how can you know if your roof is leaking? How do you find the source? Today, we’ll go over how you can find a roof leak and keep your home and family dry this rainy season!

What’s a False Leak?

Before you begin the process of finding a roof leak, you’ll want to first rule out that you don’t have a false leak on your hands. A false leak is when you’re seeing and noticing signs of a roof leak, but the moisture is caused by something else entirely. In some cases, the issue may be your AC or pipes, which we’ll discuss more about later. 

However, in other cases, the issue may be your roof, but it’s not because of a hole or opening in your roof. For example, ventilation is important for your roof’s health, especially in a humid climate like Florida. Ventilation lets all the humidity from your home and the outside properly escape through your roof so that your home remains comfortable and dry. 

Improper ventilation, on the other hand, can cause a build-up of moisture in your attic and ceiling. If this is the case, you may notice the telltale signs of a leak such as a dripping noise, mold or mildew, and staining on your ceiling. Before you start searching for a leak, a professional roofer, like the team at Big D Roofing, can assess if ventilation problems are causing a false leak.

5 Steps to Find a Roof Leak

If you suspect your roof is leaking, here are five steps you can take to get it patched up quickly. 

1. Look for Signs of a Roof Leak 

Often, a roof leak will cause physical signs of water damage in your home. The first sign most people notice is water stains on their ceilings or walls. While a leaking pipe can also cause these stains, a roof leak should definitely be considered, especially if the stains are mostly along the ceiling. You may even notice your walls bulging in spots if the water damage is significant.

There are some other non-visible signs of a roof leak. For example, if you notice a mildewy smell in your home suddenly, this may mean a leak is causing mold or mildew in your attic. Sometimes, people even report that they can hear a dripping water noise from their roof if they have a leak.

2. Search in the Attic

If you have access to your attic and suspect a leak, carefully searching the attic should be your next step. Your attic gives you a full view of the underside of the roof, which may make identifying a leak easier. Similar to inside your home, look for signs of water damage or mold growth to find a leak. 

We’d recommend you search your attic for roof leaks when it’s raining. The rain should help you see exactly where the source of the leak is if a hole in your roof is the problem. Similarly, when it’s bright and sunny, you might see unexpected light sources entering your roof as a result of a leak. 

3. Look at the Exterior of Your Roof

Your next step should be to look at the exterior of your roof. Carefully use a ladder to investigate your roof. You’ll want to look for water damage and mold growth, but missing shingles or even debris on your roof or gutters can also be the culprit. Cracked or damaged shingles may have a leak underneath them as well. 

Make sure to examine the flashing, any chimneys, skylights, and corners of your roof, as these spots are the most likely locations to experience a leak due to age or damage. If you identify anything odd about the exterior of your roof, let your roofing company know so they can assess the situation as well.

4. Search for the Source

Before you call in a roofer, you’ll want to rule out all possibilities. As we mentioned earlier, signs of a roof leak mimic the signs of a pipe leak. Likewise, a problem with your cooling system can also be the culprit of mildewy smells and water damage in your home if you have an HVAC unit and central air. 

If you can’t find any physical damage to your roof or in the attic, it’s worth checking your pipes and AC for any issues. If you confirm it’s a pipe leak or a problem with your HVAC system, you’ll want to call in a plumber or an HVAC technician to make the repair. 

5. Call in a Professional for Hard-to-Spot Leaks

When all else fails and you can’t find the source of the leak, a professional roofer can help you identify the problem. Roofers, like the ones at Big D Roofing, have special tools and equipment that help locate a roof leak. With the leak found, they’ll also be able to create a game plan to quickly patch it up and keep your roof from further damage. 

If you found the source by yourself, that’s amazing in helping our roofers get to work, but make sure you leave roofing repairs to the professionals!

Big D Roofing Is Your Go-To Roofing Repair Company for Leaks!

Whether you’ve found the leak yourself or need help finding one, Big D Roofing has you covered. Our team of roofing experts has been patching roof leaks in Florida for over 40 years. Don’t let the rain and winds this summer cause water damage to your home—fix your leaky roof with Big D today!