Your roof is leaking, and another rainstorm is on the way. Is it time to call a Bay Area roofing repair company yet?

Here’s an ultra quick guide to identifying the source of a roof leak and dealing with it yourself.

Signs of a leaky roof can range from the ultra obvious–e.g. you notice water dripping from wet spot on your ceiling onto your head–to the not so obvious–e.g. you notice a weird moldy smell in the bedroom that has no obvious origin. Left untreated, a leaky roof can not only create problems like mold and structural wear and tear, but it can heighten your at risk of electrical fires, pest infestations, and damage to the foundation of the house itself.

First things first, look for the typical culprits–places where leaks tend to emerge. For instance: sky lights, chimneys, shallow saddle points on an overhang, places right beneath shingles fields, flashing, etc. Unfortunately, solving a leak can be tricky business, since leaks function like nonlinear systems. That’s a fancy way of saying that the “just trace it backwards by intuition” method often fails. Water can seep through random cracks in the wall or ceiling and emerge in odd places.

Of course, some leaks DO behave in a linear fashion. For instance, if a wet spot appears on the ceiling of your living room, and then you find a missing slate of shingles right above that wet spot, your job is clear: tidy up the water damage, replace the shingles, and you’re good to go.

But even small, seemingly “linear leaks” can do a lot of hidden damage. So think twice about doing the job yourself. Often, small troublespots constitute the tip of a bigger leak. You want to remedy all problems permanently, not only to avoid having to perform impromptu do-it-yourself roof plugging (not everyone’s idea of a great time) but also because prophylaxis saves money and protects you and your family from bigger disasters.

Connect with the Oakland and Bay Area residential and commercial roofing specialists at Ben’s Roofing, Inc. today for a free estimate and thorough, expert analysis of your leak situation. Call us now: 510-690-8570.

Image source: Flickr