What to do when the roof leaks
Water indoors needs a safe first response and a roof assessment. Use a few visible observations to understand the next step.
Deal with the immediate problem first
When water comes through the ceiling, deal with the room before the roof. Keep people away from electrical hazards and a sagging ceiling, and do not climb onto the roof to investigate.
Choose only what you can observe safely below. The tool gives an immediate priority and explains what a roofer will need to trace. It does not decide the cause, the price or insurance coverage.
Find your next safe step
No address, contact details or roof measurements are needed. Your choices stay in this page.
Start from a safe place
Keep clear of water near electrical equipment or a sagging ceiling. Choose the observations you already have; do not go looking for more from an unsafe area.
What the roofing visit needs to resolve
The location of a stain or drip helps start the investigation. It does not identify the outside opening.
Understand roof leak repairThe drip and the opening are not always together
Roof materials overlap to shed water toward the edge. A failed joint lets water get beneath that path, where it can follow the deck or framing before appearing indoors. The damp ceiling can therefore sit away from the exterior opening.
The repair has to restore the entry detail and address unsuitable wet material where necessary. Painting the ceiling or coating the nearest visible shingle does not establish that the opening is fixed.
What this tool can and cannot tell you
The result uses the symptoms you select to organize the next step. It cannot see behind materials, distinguish roof water from a plumbing or condensation problem, or rule out a hazard. If the situation changes, the immediate priority changes too.
A dry stain still deserves attention if its cause has not been resolved. An active drip can need temporary protection before permanent roof work. Do not enter an unsafe attic, touch wet electrical equipment or stand under a bulging ceiling to provide more information.
A roofer can trace the actual entry point
Tell us what you have already noticed and where it appears. A free inspection can move the question from the visible symptom to the roof condition.