What To Look For, What To Do?

So you’re worried that you might have a leaky roof? If you’re indoors and water is falling down (and you’re not in the shower), then you can skip ahead. If the answer is yes, you do have a problem, get it looked at now. But not everything is that obvious. Let’s examine some more subtle signs and what to do about them.


Staining on the ceiling is one sign that your roof might have been compromised. Is there any warping of the sheetrock or light brown staining? If so, that is a good indicator that there might be a leak. Also, moisture could be present if the taping between the sheetrock is coming apart.


There could also be a foundation problem if you see separation, but that’s a whole different beast. Mold is another indicator of a roof leak. It could be a problem if left alone and not addressed in a timely manner.


The #1 cause of a roof leak is the flashing around the roof penetrations. Roof penetrations refer to things like the exhaust vent (from the water heater), attic vent (wind turbines or box vents), and plumbing vent.