The summer rains are just weeks away from starting and for many locals, the threat of a damaged, leaky roof is a reality that they will soon have to deal with.
One of the worst effects of the long winter is that roof damage has possibly gone unseen, making the arrival of the rains quite the surprise, when the water starts pouring in everywhere. Luckily, should you be one of those who has a leaky roof, there is quite a lot that you can do in order to avoid your home becoming flooded. And there is always the option of calling in a team like ours to get your roof sorted out so that when the next bout of heavy rains arrive, you aren’t caught in the deluge.
No part of the leaky roof should be ignored. The sheer amount of damage that can be done can be monumental and water damage can be incredibly difficult to remedy. When you notice that the roof is starting to leak, you need to jump into action right away.
Tips for dealing with a leaking roof
- Try to limit the interior damage
In the midst of a terrible summer storm, you can’t very well call out a contractor for assistance. Unfortunately, when the rain is pouring in, in the middle of the night, the most you can do is to try to minimise the amount of damage that is being done from the water.
Depending on where the water is coming in, the best you can do is to move the furniture out of the way and perhaps place towelling and buckets in the space to catch the water and prevent it from going everywhere. It is important that you try to soak up any water that is left standing and, should you notice the ceiling has a bulge, try to create a tiny hole from which you can drain water. By doing this, you can prevent the ceiling from popping out and spilling water everywhere.
- Try to have a look inside the ceiling
If you are up for it, you can crawl into the ceiling, with a torch in hand, and have a look for the spot where the water is coming in. This can be a little tricky, because water leaking through a roof has a tendency of being rather sneaky. The area that you think has the leak is generally not the right spot. When you have found the open spot, you can attempt a makeshift fix. This is helpful if you are expecting more rain and cannot get a contractor out fast enough.
- Try to redirect the water
Using a funnel, a piece of piping, and a bottle, you can attempt to reroute the water from the opening to a safe place from which it can be disposed. By securing the funnel to the opening and attaching it to the pipe, with a bottle at the end, you can catch the water as it comes through the roof. If you are not keen on a bottle, use a hose at the end of the funnel, and allow the water to flow from the funnel and hose, to the outside.
