There s no single way of getting rid of all causes of a roof leak.
How to find a roof leak with no attic.
Once you locate the source of the water mark the area.
How to water test your roof for leaks.
The goal is to find the leak before the entire roof goes bad.
In the absence of rain use a garden hose to thoroughly wet down the roof to create a manmade leak.
Find a friend to help with the roof leak test.
Water leaks occur through roof failure ice dams and water condensation or frost build up inside an attic.
Once you have determined that the leak is caused by a roof related issue measure the location of the leak in the living space from two fixed points.
Attics are helpful in locating a roof leak.
The cost of fixing structural damage not only puts you and your family s safety at risk but it can be expensive.
If there s no proper flooring step carefully.
If you have an attic the easiest way to spot the leak is to up there on a rainy day.
How to find a roof leak with no attic access.
Identifying the true location of roof leaks in the attic.
Finding water damage on the wall or ceiling is worrying for any homeowner.
Here s how it works.
If your ceiling has a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the attic insulation push the insulation aside and look for flow stains on the plastic often water runs to openings in the vapor barrier such as at ceiling light fixtures.
Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak.
Rainy weather causes the first type of leak to be discovered.
Arm yourself with a flashlight and head up to the attic.
Most people assume this is caused by a leaking roof but that might not be the source.
To locate a hard to find roof leak.
Water will reflect light so bring a flashlight along.
These fixed points can be perpendicular exterior walls a fireplace chimney or other components that extend through the finished ceiling to the attic space or roof surface.
Be careful up there.
Some roof leaks are tough to locate.
Go in the attic with a flashlight during or shortly after a heavy rain being careful not to step through the ceiling.
Head into the attic to get a good look at the underside of the roof.
Again practice safety first.
Fixing this issue can be less costly than replacing a roof but it should be addressed as soon as possible.
One person will be outside the house with a garden hose running water over the roof.
Water found in these places is commonly caused by condensation in the attic.
