A step by step plan for the first hour of a roof leak, written for people standing in a room with a bucket. Damage limitation first, diagnosis afterwards.
Step 1: make the room safe
Turn off the lighting circuit for that room at the consumer unit if water is anywhere near a light fitting, a downlight or a smoke alarm. Water in a ceiling void finds cables long before it finds the floor.
Move furniture, electricals and anything absorbent out of the area, then lift or fold back the carpet. Wet underlay is a bigger repair bill than most people expect.
Step 2: control the water
Put down a bucket or a storage box with an old towel in the bottom to stop the splashing. If the ceiling is bulging where water has pooled above the plaster, pierce the lowest point of the bulge with a screwdriver and let it drain into the container in a controlled way.
That feels wrong, but a bulging ceiling will come down eventually and it will take the whole sheet with it. A single controlled hole usually saves the plasterboard.
Step 3: look in the loft, not on the roof
If you can get into the loft safely, take a torch and a container. Catching the water at the rafter, above the ceiling, stops the plasterboard soaking further. Note where the water is running from, because that information saves us time later.
Do not go onto the roof. Wet tiles and slates during or after rain are the single most common cause of serious falls in this trade, and there is nothing you can safely do up there in the dark or in wind.
Step 4: record it for insurance
Photograph the ceiling, the room, any damaged contents and the outside of the property from ground level before anything is cleaned up. Note the date, the weather and the time the leak started.
Storm related damage is usually covered where the damage is sudden, while gradual wear normally is not. Our guide on what storm damage insurance covers explains where insurers draw that line.
Step 5: decide whether it is an emergency
Call out of hours if water is running rather than dripping, if it is anywhere near electrics, if a ceiling has come down, or if tiles or a chimney element have visibly gone in high wind. Otherwise a next working day visit in daylight gets you a better repair.
Ring us on 07960 482233 and describe what you can see. If it can wait safely until morning we will tell you, because a rushed temporary fix at midnight often has to be redone.
Should I put a tarpaulin over the roof myself?
No. Sheeting a roof means working at height on a wet surface in bad weather, which is exactly the situation that puts people in hospital. Leave it to someone with the access equipment.
The drip has stopped, is it fixed?
Almost certainly not. Leaks stop when the rain stops and start again with the next spell of the same wind direction. The stain will keep spreading until the entry point is dealt with.
Can I claim on insurance for a leaking roof?
Sudden storm damage is generally covered, as is resulting damage to decoration and contents. Leaks from a worn out covering are usually treated as maintenance and excluded.
How fast can you get to a leak?
Same day in most cases around Witney and Oxford if you ring early. Call 07960 482233 and we will be straight with you about timings.
What will an out of hours visit cost?
Emergency make safe visits are typically £150 to £350 depending on access and time on site, with any permanent repair quoted separately afterwards.
Ring 07960 482233 and tell us what you can see. If we can talk you through holding it safely until morning, we will.
Evans Roofing & Maintenance Ltd, Witney, Oxfordshire. Call 07960 482233 for a free written quote.