What Should I Do If I Have a Roof Leak?

What Should I Do If I Have A Roof Leak

You walk into the living room and hear a telltale drip, drip, drip. You’ve got a roof leak, and the water is soaking into your carpet or perhaps ruining your expensive hardwood floors. This may seem like a nightmare, but it’s possible to limit the damage if you act quickly.

As a BBB-accredited business and winner of the HomeAdvisor Elite Service Award, Nelson Contracting knows what to do if you’ve got a roof leak.

If your roof is leaking and you need help right now, call Nelson Contracting at (402) 464-2418.

Move Important Items to Safety

Before doing anything else, relocate important items elsewhere so the leak doesn’t ruin them. This includes paperwork, books, furniture, your child’s favorite toys, and so on. If anything got wet, dry the item off with a towel, if possible.

Contain the Water

Next, you’ll need to find a way to contain the water. Buckets are the first line of defense, but if you don’t have any, get creative. Use buckets, bowls, flowerpots (without drainage holes), or even your child’s plastic kiddie pool. Any of these will work to prevent water from further damaging your home.

Cover the Damaged Area With a Tarp

Roof Leak Roof Tarp

If you can’t immediately have your roof fixed by a pro, you’ll have to climb up on the roof and place a tarp over the damaged area. Be careful when doing this, especially if it’s raining, as your roof will be slippery. We always recommend you wait for the experts.

Select a tarp that’s at least six inches wider than the damaged section of your roof and tuck its corners under the shingles. You can use roofing nails to hold the tarp in place. Never place bags of sand or blocks to secure the tarp, as these items could fall off your roof causing serious injuries.

Be sure to contact Nelson Contracting for all emergency roof tarp installations. Let us help you when you need it most!

Relieve Water Pressure

If your ceiling is bulging, that means water is pooling there. It may be tempting to leave the bulge alone, but that’s a big mistake. Left alone, water can continue to pool and might collapse the entire ceiling.

Place a container below the bulge, then carefully puncture it with a knife, screwdriver, or other sharp tool. Leave the container there until you’re certain that the water has completely drained from your ceiling.

Disinfect Wet Surfaces

After taking the above emergency actions, it’s time for cleanup. If any items got wet from the roof leak, use warm water and detergent to clean them. You can also use diluted bleach or sanitizing wipes.

Check for Mold

Roof Leak Molded Ceiling

Some ceilings only start leaking after water has pooled in your roof for a long period of time. If water has been sitting in your roof and ceilings for weeks or even months, you might have a mold problem.

If you’ve got mold, you may notice a speckled black or brown pattern on your ceilings or walls. Mold has an unmistakable musty odor. You can also buy home testing kits that detect mold in the air.

Dry Wet Surfaces

Running a dehumidifier is one of the best ways to dry your home out after a roof leak. Place wet objects near the dehumidifier so they’ll dry more quickly.

If you have a wet vac on hand, you can use it to extract water from carpets and cracks in floorboards. If you don’t have one, you might be able to rent one from your local home improvement store.

Open the windows if the weather permits. Fresh air helps dry moisture, and it’ll make your home smell cleaner, too.

Take Pictures of the Damage

Your homeowner’s insurance policy may cover water intrusion. If you plan to file an insurance claim, take photos of the damage. You can also record a video walk-through of the damage.

Call Nelson Contracting, Your Trusted Professional Roofing Company

If your roof is leaking, don’t panic. Just give Nelson Contracting a call, and our licensed and insured roof contractors will come by for a free inspection and repair the leak with roof cement. Nelson Contracting offers affordable rates and a quick response time, so you can trust that we’ll be there when you need us.

To schedule repairs for your roof leak, call us at (402) 464-2418 or contact us online!

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