It’s the worst feeling to see (or hear!) water leaking into your home after a recent storm or heavy rain shower. 

To minimise any damage, it’s important to pinpoint the source of the leak and arrange roof repairs as quickly as possible. But it’s not always easy to find out exactly what and where the problem is. 

Our handy guide is here to help, with a run-through of the most common causes, hotspots, and warning signs for roof leaks.

Wet Patches and Stains Could be a Sign of Missing Tiles

The most obvious way to identify the source of a roof leak is to look for wet patches and stains on the ceiling. If you find one, it’s very likely that the leak is nearby – either directly above or close by. 

The cause is probably a slipped or damaged roof tile/slate. If you can access your loft safely, you can pop your head in and look for light coming through in the area above the ceiling stain. 

If this is the case, roof repairs should be relatively easy and cheap to sort. A roofer will just need to replace any broken or missing tiles or shingles. 

Another potential source of wet stains is the chimney. It may need repointing or rebuilding, capping to prevent rainwater falling down it, or the flashing replacing. If you spot water marks on or inside the chimney breast, one of these issues could be to blame. 

Wet Walls and Corners Could Mean a Clogged Gutter

Noticed a wet patch in the top-most corner of the room? If it’s where the wall meets the ceiling on an external wall, it could indicate a problem with your gutters. 

If gutters are clogged with leaves, dirt, and debris, they won’t be able to direct water down the drain pipe effectively. Instead, rainwater will spill over the sides wherever it can – this could mean it penetrates your roof and walls. 

A similar situation can happen if your gutters are damaged or have come away from their fixings. 

It’s another pretty simple fix, where the gutters need to be cleaned and/or any damaged parts replaced. 

However, more extensive roof repairs may be needed if water penetration has caused damage to roof timbers. If these have signs of significant rot, they may need to be replaced. 

A Musty-Smelling Loft Could Indicate Moisture Penetration 

If your loft smells strongly of damp, there’s a good chance that there’s a leak somewhere. You can try replacing old insulation and having a clear-out, in case the problem is historic. But if this doesn’t do the trick, you might need to call in a roofer. 

It could be that your roof timbers have issues with damp or rot, or that the lining of your roof is suffering from moisture penetration. This can happen for a few reasons, including a build-up of moss on the roof. 

You might simply not have enough ventilation in the loft, causing issues with condensation. These are all things that need to be checked out and eliminated in order to get to the bottom of the problem. 

Other Signs You May Need Roof Repairs

If you have a leak but can’t work out where it’s coming from, here are a couple of other things to check:

• If you can’t see light coming through in the loft (indicating a missing tile), see if there is any moisture on the joists or beams. If there’s a problem with ridge tiles, this may not be obvious from the inside except in the form of drips running along the woodwork of the roof before falling onto the ceiling below.
• Head across the street with some binoculars to take a look at your roof from the ground. You may get some curious glances from the neighbours, but this could help you spot things like damaged flashing around the chimney or missing tiles. If you see anything, you can call in a roofer to take a closer look.