What to Do When the Roof Starts Leaking
Autumn storms sometimes bring unwelcome surprises. The rain starts pounding on the roof, and the next thing you know there’s a drip in the ceiling.
A leaking roof requires immediate action, but it can also be hard to know what to do first. These five steps can help you figure out what to do first, and how you should respond to minimize the damage.
1. Contain the Water
It is common for leaks to spring in the middle of a storm and to continue as long as the precipitation does. In such situations, you’ll want to contain the water using buckets, tubs, and anything else you have on hand. This will ensure that the water doesn’t spread to other parts of the house.
If the storm continues for a long time, rotate the buckets to avoid the risk of overflow. Check the rest of your house for other leaks, and keep an eye out for damp patches on the ceiling that might indicate where the water damage is spreading.
2. Minimize the Damage
Once you’ve contained the leaks themselves, the next thing you’ll want to do is reduce the amount of damage by covering your furniture, books, and other valuables in tarpaulins or plastic sheeting. This ensures they won’t be affected by further leaks, or splashback from existing ones.
3. Air Out Your Living Space
Once the storm is over, get rid of the collected water and start drying out your living space. Opening your windows on a chilly autumn day may be uncomfortable, but it is imperative that you dry out floors, carpets, and drywall as soon as possible if you want to keep mold and mildew from setting in. If you have any fans, turn them on to increase air circulation.
4. Call Your Insurance Agent
With the immediate danger averted, it’s time to call your insurance agent to start the process of making a claim. Water damage is generally included in most insurance plans, so this should be a fairly straightforward process.
As always, make detailed notes of the damage so you can provide the thorough documentation that will speed your claim through the process.
5. Call a Roofing Company
Having made your claim, the next step is to book repairs. A leaking ceiling is a sure sign that something is wrong with your roof, and you’ll want to have it fixed as soon as possible. Getting a trusted Ajax roofing company on the line who can help you with anything from re-shingling to roof deck repairs is the best way to move forward.
Not every roofing company specializes in emergency repairs, so if you want roofers in Ajax who can provide you with immediate help, look for a company that advertises emergency repairs as part of their service.
6. Have Your Roof Inspected
In many cases, roof leaks indicate wider damage that may require you to replace your roof entirely. Once the immediate problem has been dealt with, ask your roofing company to give your roof a full inspection to see whether or not a major overhaul is in order.
If you roof is reaching the end of its life, you may want to have a new one installed before the worst of the winter weather sets in.
A leaking roof is one of the most serious problems a homeowner will have to deal with, and it requires immediate action. But the best thing to do is to plan ahead and catch roofing problems before they reach the emergency stage.
If your roof is showing signs of age, have your Ajax roofing company to give it a thorough inspection today so you can fix any problems before they get out of hand.
Autumn storms sometimes bring unwelcome surprises. The rain starts pounding on the roof, and the next thing you know there’s a drip in the ceiling.
A leaking roof requires immediate action, but it can also be hard to know what to do first. These five steps can help you figure out what to do first, and how you should respond to minimize the damage.
1. Contain the Water
It is common for leaks to spring in the middle of a storm and to continue as long as the precipitation does. In such situations, you’ll want to contain the water using buckets, tubs, and anything else you have on hand. This will ensure that the water doesn’t spread to other parts of the house.
If the storm continues for a long time, rotate the buckets to avoid the risk of overflow. Check the rest of your house for other leaks, and keep an eye out for damp patches on the ceiling that might indicate where the water damage is spreading.
2. Minimize the Damage
Once you’ve contained the leaks themselves, the next thing you’ll want to do is reduce the amount of damage by covering your furniture, books, and other valuables in tarpaulins or plastic sheeting. This ensures they won’t be affected by further leaks, or splashback from existing ones.
3. Air Out Your Living Space
Once the storm is over, get rid of the collected water and start drying out your living space. Opening your windows on a chilly autumn day may be uncomfortable, but it is imperative that you dry out floors, carpets, and drywall as soon as possible if you want to keep mold and mildew from setting in. If you have any fans, turn them on to increase air circulation.
4. Call Your Insurance Agent
With the immediate danger averted, it’s time to call your insurance agent to start the process of making a claim. Water damage is generally included in most insurance plans, so this should be a fairly straightforward process.
As always, make detailed notes of the damage so you can provide the thorough documentation that will speed your claim through the process.
5. Call a Roofing Company
Having made your claim, the next step is to book repairs. A leaking ceiling is a sure sign that something is wrong with your roof, and you’ll want to have it fixed as soon as possible. Getting a trusted Ajax roofing company on the line who can help you with anything from re-shingling to roof deck repairs is the best way to move forward.
Not every roofing company specializes in emergency repairs, so if you want roofers in Ajax who can provide you with immediate help, look for a company that advertises emergency repairs as part of their service.
6. Have Your Roof Inspected
In many cases, roof leaks indicate wider damage that may require you to replace your roof entirely. Once the immediate problem has been dealt with, ask your roofing company to give your roof a full inspection to see whether or not a major overhaul is in order.
If you roof is reaching the end of its life, you may want to have a new one installed before the worst of the winter weather sets in.
A leaking roof is one of the most serious problems a homeowner will have to deal with, and it requires immediate action. But the best thing to do is to plan ahead and catch roofing problems before they reach the emergency stage.
If your roof is showing signs of age, have your Ajax roofing company to give it a thorough inspection today so you can fix any problems before they get out of hand.
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