Heavy rains and extreme weather conditions can quickly cause roof leakages. In the beginning, the leakage might be small but eventually, you will have water coming inside the house. Regardless of the situation, you should know how to stop a leaking roof during rain as you can’t perform roof repair immediately. We are going to take you through a multi-stage process that will help fix the issue until you can get it fixed permanently.
Move Items Away From the Leakage
The first thing you need to do when your roof is leaking during the rain is move items and objects away. Water leaking from the ceiling/roof will continue until you address it. This means that moving furniture and other objects is necessary as constant water exposure will damage them.
If not possible, try to cover the items with a plastic cover. This will prevent direct contact of the leaking water with the items. In addition to that, you should also change the location of nearby electronic items. Water from a leaking roof can come down very fast and splash everywhere including electrical items.
This might result in an electric shock upon usage. Plus, make sure that you do not touch any chord, wire, or switch. Before using any item, make sure it is properly dry and not covered with water. And if needed, cut off the power from the breaker as well. This way, you will avoid any electrical sparks and other serious accidents.
Place Something To Catch The Water Temporarily
Next, you need to place something to catch the water temporarily. It is necessary to place a bucket or any other item to prevent water from splashing onto the floor especially if it is wooden. Wooden floors can easily become damaged due to constant water exposure.
Therefore, to save yourself expensive repairs and replacements, you will need to cover everything surrounding the leakage. And if you have elderly people in the house, do not let them visit the area as it will be slippery.
Once the rain has ended, get rid of the water and dry the area for safe walking.
Identify The Source Of The Problem
If your roof is leaking during rain, there could be several reasons behind it. To begin with, it could be that the roof gutter is clogged. If possible and safe, try climbing the roof to unclog the gutter. If that does not solve the issue, you will need to dig into where the water is leaking from.
Roof leakages can sometimes be hard to track. As mentioned in the beginning, it might be that the leakage was small, and with time it turned bigger. It could also be that the leakage is somewhere else and the water is simply traveling down. In this case, finding the actual source might be difficult.
Your best bet could be to track the location from where you first noticed the water leaking. You may or may not need access to the roof. If you have an attic, you will need to inspect it for leakages as well. However, if your roof does not have access, you will need to remove the area where the leakage is taking place.
We will suggest hiring a roofing contractor Akron for this job as it will need special tools and techniques. If you intend to do it on your own, make sure to wear protective gear as there is a high risk of injuries.
Common Areas Of Roof Leaks During Rain
Skylight Leaks
Skylight leaks are one of the most common sources of roof leaks during heavy rains. The reason is that during installation, each skylight creates a hole in an otherwise uniform roof. This means no matter how well installed the skylights are, sooner or later they are going to leak during heavy rain.
Although skylights are designed to shed water, the upper edge happens to be a flat surface, against which the rainwater flows during the rain. This is also the area that can catch snow, ice, leaves, and other debris that end up on the roof. As a result, the seals and flashing wear out with time.
However, keep in mind that roof leakages during rain are not always due to skylights. It might be that your skylight is leaking due to condensation or other leakages in the roof that are traveling down.
Chimney Leaks
Chimneys are yet another common source of roof leakages in rain. Plus, chimney problems are normal in almost every household. Chimney leakages can take place due to reasons such as lack of maintenance, inappropriate building, repairs and replacements, etc.
It is often that homeowners tend to hire amateurs to fix their chimneys just to save a few bucks. However, it only leads to bigger issues such as roof leaks down the road. In other cases, chimneys also get damaged due to extreme weather conditions.
Keep in mind that a chimney comprises several different parts. If the chimney is leaking, it does not mean the entire structure is compromised. It could simply be the chimney crown needing replacement. Furthermore, it might also be that your chimney is tilting to one side due to structural damage.
As a result, water might collect and leak through the roof inside your house. To fix the issue, you will need to consult an expert who can determine the source of the problem and fix it before the next rain spell.
Vent Pipe Leaks
Vent pipes run through all the areas of the house and need to be properly maintained to prevent leakages. Unfortunately, these pipes are often ignored and tend to become clogged with time. This can cause the pipes to crack and result in water leakage.
Plus, during roof installation, each vent pipe receives a flexible boot that helps seal water around the pipe’s round surface. With time, these boots will lose their integrity, flexibility, and longevity. On top of that, the vent pipes also become hard due to constant hot and cold cycles.
That said, when the vent pipe boot cracks, your roof is left open for leakages. This means it is important for you to maintain your roof and schedule expert inspection for the pipes and other important components.
This helps avoid leakages, especially during extremely cold weather conditions.
Roof Vent Leaks
Roof vents play an important role when it comes to air circulation. If you have an attic, having a roof vent is important to allow air to circulate inside the attic with the air outside. This helps keep the attic cooler in the summer season.
Roof vents come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the type of roof and the location of installation. Even though most air vents prevent water from entering, extreme weather conditions can force water inside. Keep in mind that roof vents usually do not have protected sides.
If your roof vent is leaking during rain, it means the rain may be blowing under the hood and into the vent. In such a case, you will need to create a breathable shield that allows airflow while slowing down the raindrops driving down.
Still, you will need to get the roof vent and its surrounding areas inspected to ensure there are no leaks.
Conclusion
Roof leakages can take place due to a variety of reasons. Get in touch with roofing companies Hudson to get your roof fixed. Plus, the best way to avoid such issues is by scheduling expert inspection and maintenance.