What To Do If Your Roof Starts Leaking

In the first hour

Deal with the water before you deal with the roof.

• Move furniture, electronics and anything valuable out from underneath.
• Put down a basin and towels, and lift carpet if you can.
• If a ceiling is bulging with trapped water, stand clear and consider piercing it deliberately in one spot with a screwdriver into a bucket — it is far better than the whole ceiling coming down.
• Turn off the electrics to that area if water is anywhere near a light fitting.
• Take photos and note the time — useful for insurance and for us.

What not to do

Do not go up on a wet or windy roof. More people are hurt looking at a leak than by the leak itself. Do not pour sealant into the general area either — it makes the eventual repair messier and it rarely holds.

What to tell the roofer

The more of this you have, the faster we can get to the cause.

• Where the water shows inside, and whether it moves.
• Whether it only happens in certain wind or rain directions.
• How long it has been going on.
• Any recent work — solar panels, a dish, an extension, scaffolding.
• Photos of the stain and, if you can safely, of the attic.

Getting it looked at

An active leak is a priority job for us. If the roof is open to the weather we will make it safe first and carry out the permanent repair once conditions allow. Ring Mikey directly and describe what you are seeing.