Tulsa OK residential properties face the harshest storms and hottest winters. Humid subtropical climates guarantee heavy rainfall is just around the corner. For this reason, Tulsa OK residents must always be ready for any possible property damages the storm might bring including knowing what to do if your roof is leaking.
Unfortunately, roofing leaks is a difficult but inevitable event any Tulsa homeowners face. True enough, having enough buckets and power to move things away from leak spots will help you cope until your emergency repair contractors arrive.
However, in case of long-running heavy storms and gloomy weather, do you know what to do if your roof is leaking heavily?
After reading this post, you will:
- Learn what to do when your roof is leaking
- Know how to do small repairs until contractors arrive
- See if the roof is still worth repairing or is it time to replace them.
What to Do If Your Roof Is Leaking: Immediate Actions To Take
Despite how prepared you are, you might forget what to do if your roof is leaking. Before anything, do not attempt to perform any repairs especially with strong, windy storms.
You’ll need to take care of the welfare of your shelter and your belongings. Then, once you secure them, you can assess the roofing damage level and conduct short emergency repairs to prevent long-term damages until professional roof repair specialists arrive.
Move Your Belongings ASAP!
Before anything, move everything in the leaking areas out of the way. If you wake up to a leak-soaked sofa, shove it out of the way of the leak.
Don’t get frazzled with what to do if your roof is leaking. Calmly move things out of the way and let the leaks flow. If you can relocate your belongings to indoor areas with good ventilation, you can help your things dry up fast.
Cover Everything With Plastic Sheet or Garbage Bags
If you can’t move the sofa, refrigerator, or other electronics in your property because of their weight, grab garbage bags or plastic sheets in your home. Still, try to push them out of the way as possible before covering them with the bags.
To make sure the objects dry up even with garbage covering, allocate a small breathing hole outside the path of the leak.
Get Buckets and Any Container You Can
Now that you have everything out of the way, grab any bucket and containers inside your home. Pails and pans will help. If you have used plastic bottles in your home, cut them in half and situate them underneath the areas of the leaks.
Any container capable of gathering water will be useful. Additionally, place a rug underneath each container if possible to contain any moisture that escapes from the containers.
Identify Heavy Pressure Points On Your Roof
For most Tulsa homeowners, the leaks can be small and have mild flow. However, never forget what to do if your roof is leaking with huge bulges and bumps across the ceiling.
Use a broom, mop, or any pole with a non-sharp or dull edge to poke the bulges. These are signs of pooling water. If you leave them unattended, their pressure places the roofing material under great duress and may create bigger internal ceiling damage.
Take Photos for Insurance Documentation
As you wait out the storm, take photos especially if you see the internal roof is incapable of handling the leaks. Because you knew what to do if your roof is leaking and did it well, you’ve done your best as your photos will show.
Additionally, your photos will serve as strong evidence to trigger your existing roof insurance. After the storm, you can call your reliable roofing contractor to help you assess and claim your insurance benefits in full.
Possible Shorthand Emergency Repairs
Find the Source of Leaks
If the storm has gone for days, you’ll need to know what to do if your roof is leaking and providing shorthand repairs.
To find the source of roof leaks, you can take the following steps:
- Locate the roof leak from the inside of your home: It’s possible your plumbing, HVAC units, condensations, and other factors are causing the leaks.
- Look for damaged drywall: Sometimes, gaps between your structures will introduce leaks into your home regardless of the durability and capability of your roofing material.
Use Tarpaulins or Dense Materials
If you have thick, industrial-grade plastic sheets, tent material, or tarpaulins, you can use them to patch up any leaks on your roof.
If the storm weakens but still threatens to continue, you can patch up the leaky areas with these waterproof materials. Here are steps to do so:
- Carry the tarpaulin, one-inch nails, a hammer, and industrial scissors or cutting knife with you
- Spread the waterproof material on the affected area
- Cut according to the size of the damage
- Nail them into the roofing material.
Prolonging the Lifespan of Your Leaking Roof
These temporary shorthand repairs can only do so much in the upcoming storms. It is best to call a roofing contractor to receive professional repairs and prolong the lifespan of your roof.
Unfortunately, some roof materials will sustain so much storm damage that they will need replacements. Here are some signs to help you see if you can still prolong the lifespan of your roof with repairs.
Roof Age
If your roof is below 15 years of age, then the leaks are likely gaps in the material or due to a small area of damage. Contractors can still save your roof with professional repairs.
Materials
Asphalt shingle roofs with missing or damaged components are always subject to leaks. In addition, roofing underlayment penetration is the likely culprit if your external roof has no visible damage.
On the other hand, underlayment damage is the primary culprit in modified bitumen and metal roofs because these two materials are unlikely to have external damages.
Here are more signs to know if you need to repair or ultimately replace your roof.
Wrapping Up
Tulsa homeowners should always know what to do if your roof is leaking and conduct repairs. Lastly, they should have the contact details of their trusted contractor to conduct repairs as soon as possible. Doing so avoids additional damage in the future.
