The dreaded roof leak: never seems to come at a convenient time and can lead to major damage if left untreated and finding the source of the leak can be almost as frustrating as the leak itself.

Finding the source of the leak can be a great challenge as the leak on the outside rarely matches where the leak appears on the inside of your home. This can frustrate even that most patient person trying to fix a leak on their roof. Finding the leak on your roof is no exact science and requires a process of elimination as a leak may have several contributing factors, if it becomes too complicated to find and fix the leak, a San Jose Roofing expert can help you get it fixed.

Try to see the leak when it occurs. In order to trace a leak back to its original source, it is best to see the leak in action. Try to spot the leak during a rainy day or imitate the rain by saturating the suspected area with a hose for a period of time until you see the leak from the inside of your home. So, how do you locate the source of that pesky roof leak? San Jose Roofing experts, Yorkshire Roofing, are here to help you with some tips on how to identify that leak.

  1. First, find the leak on the inside of your home and determine whether the source of the water on the inside of the house was caused by a leak or whether it was associated with other components such as plumbing, etc.
  2. Once you are sure the leak was caused by a roof related problem, measure the location of the leak in the living space from two fixed points. These fixed points can be a perpendicular exterior wall or a fireplace or other components that extend through the finished ceiling to the attic space of the roof space. If you need help figuring out how to take these measurements, contact a San Jose roofing expert.
  3. Now, head to the attic and locate the source of the leak on the under side of the roof using the measurements taken in step 2. Review the leak and take note of the surface where the leak is coming from. The actual location of the entry point of the water into the attic space may differ slightly than where the leak is showing on the interior of the home so you many need to look at the surrounding area.
  4. Measure the location of where the water is coming in from the attic space from two fixed points. Look for fixed points like vent pipes, chimneys, etc. If you can’t find any of these, base your measurements on two perpendicular exterior walls.
  5. Now it’s time to get on the roof. Make sure that you are safe; if you don’t feel comfortable climbing on top of your roof, contact a San Jose Roofing expert. Apply the measurements taken from the attic space to the roof surface. Keep in mind that you will need to adjust your measurements because of depth of the exterior bearing walls and soffit overhangs.
  6. Once you have located the location of the leak, begin to work outward in concentric circles from the location where you found the leak. Repair by yourself or contact a San Jose Roofing expert to help with repairs and keep an eye out for openings, as these can cause future leaks.

If you find a leak on your roof you can either choose to make the repairs by yourself or hire a San Jose Roofing expert, if you choose to contact a San Jose Roofing expert and he or she finds that the leak is not roofing related, they might charge you a fee for inspecting your roof. If you need help repairing your roof, call Yorkshire Roofing today! We can help you get the job done fast!