Nobody wants to deal with a leaky roof, but, no matter how fastidious you are about maintaining your roof, leaks can still happen, especially during heavy rainstorms.
Does your home experience roof leaks in heavy rain? Do you need to prevent water damage until a professional can come and fix your roof?
These tips can help you manage roof leaks until help arrives.
Protect the Interior of Your Home
When you first notice a leak in your home, start by taking steps to protect the interior.
Use a bucket or large cooking pot to collect the water. You can also use an empty garbage pail to collect more water and reduce the number of times you have to empty the container.
Move any furniture that could be damaged by the leak, too. If you have access to them, you should also lay down drop cloths, a tarp, or garbage bags to keep the floor dry.
Find the Source of the Leak
Once you’ve minimized the amount of damage the water can cause as much as possible, it’s time to find the source of the leak.
In many cases, you don’t have to worry about climbing up on your roof to fix the leak — which is great, considering the fact that hundreds of thousands of people get hurt falling off their roofs each year.
Before you think about getting on the roof, start by heading up to your attic.
Grab a flashlight and try to find where the water is coming through. Bring a bucket up with you to catch the water closer to the source of the leak.
Redirect the Water
To redirect the water outside, you’ll need a plastic milk jug, some duct tape, a garden hose, and a ladder.
Cut the bottom off the container, then turn it upside down. Attach one end of the garden hose to the opening of the bottleneck with duct tape.
Redirect the other end of the hose outside through a door or window. Then, tape the funnel to the top of the ladder and place the ladder under the leak.
Make sure the funnel is placed directly under the leak. The water will drip into the funnel and flow through the hose and outside of the house.
This isn’t a permanent solution, of course.
Eventually, you’ll need to hire a professional to come and fix the roof. But, redirecting the water can minimize the damage until a professional can get to your house.
Find the Cause of the Leak
If possible, try to figure out what caused the leak in the first place.
There are lots of issues that can contribute to roof leaks, including gutter damage, missing shingles, and holes leftover from antenna or satellite dish installations.
Once you’ve found the cause of the leak, you can take steps to avoid additional leaks — call a repair company, replace the missing shingles, etc.
Put an End to Roof Leaks in Heavy Rain!
You now have the information you need to manage roof leaks in heavy rain, but, that fixing the problem needs to be top priority before it gets worse.
If you’re dealing with roof leaks whenever there’s a heavy rain, find a Denver CO roofing contractor to help you fix the problem once and for all.
If you live in the Denver area, we’re here to help at Rocky Mountain Roofing & Exteriors. Call us today or contact us online for a free estimate.