How To Test Existing Roof For Leakage

Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak.

How to test existing roof for leakage.

Roof leaks present multiple challenges for homeowners. If your ceiling has a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the attic insulation push the insulation aside and look for flow stains on the plastic often water runs to openings in the vapor barrier such as at ceiling light fixtures. Again practice safety first. The other person will be inside the attic watching the area for water leaks.

You may need to perform a water test. Some roof leaks are tough to locate. One person will be outside the house with a garden hose running water over the roof. Their effects can linger long after the repair has been made in the form of mold growth on the interior surfaces of your home.

How to find a roof leak for a free checklist click here. The drainage path of test water on lower areas of roof or walls must be tested to be certain they do not contain the leak location. Check plumbing vent boots and roof vents if water is entering from that area to cause the leaking roof. The spray testing is started at the point of lowest elevation below an area of suspected leakage.

They never occur at a time which is convenient and they can lead to significant damage to the interior of your home. Finding the actual spot where the roof leaks is difficult because water can enter the roof in one place and run down to another before it starts soaking into the ceiling. Look for cracks in the base of flexible rubber flashing or broken seams in metal varieties of vent pipe flashing the rubber gasket that surrounds the vent pipe could be rotted. How to find a leak in a roof may be the hardest part of fixing a leaky roof.

Here s how it works.