Why does a roof leak show up far from the hole?
Because water follows the framing. It runs along rafters, sheathing seams and nail heads before it drips, so the stain can sit a long way from the entry point.
A roof covering sheds water in one direction, but a leak under it finds the nearest path down. The water tends to run along the top of a rafter or along the seam between boards, then drips where the path meets a gap in the ceiling. A stain several feet from the entry is ordinary, and a homeowner who looks only under the stain will miss the path. The crew follows the wet line back up through the attic or the cavity to find where the water first entered.
Can a ceiling be dried in place?
Sometimes. A ceiling that has stained but not sagged can often dry if the source is stopped and the water is removed. A sagging or saturated ceiling is usually removed, because the wet paper and core do not dry back to strength.
Drywall that has taken water for a short time can dry with air movement and dehumidification, and its paint can be cleaned and repainted once it reads dry. Drywall that has sagged, that has lost its shape or that has been wet through the core is removed. The cut is made to a controlled line, and the removed area is recorded so the homeowner knows what was taken out and why.
What about the insulation in the attic?
Insulation that has soaked up water loses most of its value and should be removed where it is compressed or stained. Dry insulation above a wet ceiling can be left in place once it is checked.
Batt and blown insulation hold water in their fibers and compress when they are wet, and they can stay damp for a long time in an attic. The crew checks the insulation with a meter and a hand test, removes the soaked and compressed sections and leaves the dry sections alone. The removed insulation is recorded by area, and the homeowner is told which sections were kept so the attic is not left with a gap.
Who fixes the roof?
A roofer the homeowner hires. The water work stops the damage inside and maps the path, and the roof repair is a separate job for a trade that carries its own licence and insurance.
The roofer needs the map more than anything else, because it shows where the water came in. The homeowner should ask the roofer to check the flashing, the valley and the penetrations on the path, and to confirm the repair in writing. Roof work is outside what this line does, and the disclaimer page explains the arrangement. The homeowner can call the line on (833) 490-5225 for the water side at any time, including after dark, because the line is answered 24/7.
Why do repeated storms make a roof leak worse?
Each storm adds water to a ceiling and framing that have not finished drying, so the materials stay wet and the damage spreads.
In a wet season such as the one from June to November, a small roof leak can take water on several days in a row. A ceiling that dries between storms recovers, but a ceiling that is rewetted before it dries reaches a point where it can no longer recover. The readings are kept going after each rain, and a rise in the readings after a storm is recorded as a new entry.
