It will happen to almost all homeowners at one point - a typical rainy day comes along, and the unexpected strikes: a leak in your roof! Suddenly your home is filling up with water and your priceless valuables are at risk. If this has happened to you, read this quick guide to find out how to quickly take action.
Shut Off Power
First things first: shut off the power to your house. Get to the breaker box either outside or in your basement and shut off the power to the whole home. Water conducts electricity, and if water is leaking through your roof, there's a good chance that it's coming into contact with some wiring. If you have ceiling fans, they're also at risk of water damage and potential for electrocution as long as the power stays on.
While it might be a nuisance to have your power off for a while, it's a far better alternative to experiencing electrocution!
Take Precautions
Next, you want to do what you can to prevent your home from being damaged by the water. Set up a bucket where the water is leaking in and mop up the floor as quickly and efficiently as you can. Then, ideally, go and get a tarp and set it up under the bucket and across the floor of the entire room where the leak is happening. If the leak becomes strong enough to overwhelm the bucket, this will keep your flooring from experiencing further damage and will make the cleanup a lot easier for you.
Get Help
Of course, you're going to need help with this problem. Contact a roofer immediately after attending to the pooling water for help.
A roofer will come out as soon as possible to assess where the leak is coming from. If it turns out that there's a problem with your roof, they likely won't be able to fix it until the weather improves. However, in the meantime, they can put a stop to the leak by setting up a tarp over your roof that will keep water out.
Once the weather improves, the roofer will come out again to repair or replace your roof, depending on how severe the damage is.
Roofing problems like these can happen to anyone, anytime. If you develop even a small leak, these tips will help to keep you and your family safe until a roofer can come and assist you.
