With winter over it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to the summer. With the hottest bank holiday on record, you may have already started the summer season and forgotten all about your roof – after all, it was fine over the winter so there’s nothing to worry about. But the abrupt changes between hot and cold temperatures can play havoc with your roof joints, or the age of your roof may mean it is starting to show signs of wear and tear. We have had a lot of rain as well and let’s be honest, the UK summer does typically mean rain at times. This month we focus on those little new leaks that you may find and how to deal with them immediately to avoid them getting any worse.
The leak
If you find a leak in your home, then the reality is that it has probably been going on for a while but has only just found an escape path and manifest itself as an actual leak. Most often water will start to pool until it can find an escape and you only become aware of it when it does.
Deal with the interior first
If you have water coming in through the ceiling – from a light fixture for example – you want to make sure it does not make things worse by finding additional avenues. You may have to poke a small hole in the ceiling to drain the water quickly so that it does not move to create multiple ceiling leaks.
Cover, move, and contain
Contain the water by placing a bucket under the leak to catch it. Move things out of the way so that they do not become wet and damaged, and if there are any items that cannot be moved make sure you cover them with a waterproof layer. As soon as you contain the leak, make sure that anything that is wet is in a well ventilated area to speed up drying and prevent a build-up of mould.
Find the leak
Your next step is to try to find and isolate the leak. Keep in mind that water moves so the point of entry may not align with the leak you are getting from your ceiling. It could be that you need a tarp on the roof, but only get up there if it is safe to do so. Containing the leak may be your best course of action if not.
Call the professionals
If you have a leak in the roof then you need it checked and repaired by a professional. Don’t leave it until tomorrow or next week, the quicker you get it dealt with the cheaper it will be to fix as you are not letting the damage become more extensive.
Take photos for insurance
Once you have contained the problem as best as you can and placed a call to the professionals for a check and repair, take photos of the damage to provide evidence for your insurance claim if you are considering lodging one.
For professional roofing inspections and repairs call Roof Rescue. Available for emergency call-outs as well as scheduled appointments, you can get in touch with us by calling us on 020 3189 1618.
