Roof Leak, Jacksonville FL

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Roof Leak, Jacksonville FL

Rain, rain, go away! As an afternoon thunderstorm rolls in, you notice something isn’t right. A dark stain on the ceiling is pooling water, and leaking on to the floor below. “This can’t be!” You exclaim.

If you discover you have a roof leak, slow down and take a deep breath. Leaks in Jacksonville are a common occurrence. This blog will discuss some of the steps you should take if you discover water leaking into your home. How to address repairs, and more importantly how to avoid problems in the future.   

STOP WATER INSIDE

Don’t panic. Let’s just get the leak stopped. As common sense would dictate, grab a plastic container or bucket to catch water beneath the leak site. Make sure to mitigate anything that could cause water damage to your home. If water is splashing beyond the bucket, use a towel beneath to absorb the excess and protect your flooring. If you can’t stop the water from entering, clear as much out of the room as possible, and call a trusted local roofing contractor.  

STOP WATER OUTSIDE

The next step upon noticing a roof leak is to employ a temporary fix to stop water from entering your home. If you can isolate the leak to a specific area, use a trap. Often simply employing a tarp over the shingles will temporarily stop water damage. A fall from your roof will be worse the leak itself. Use caution when climbing to tarp the problem area. When in doubt call a trusted roofing professional. After the leak is mitigated from the outside, make sure to cover inside items and valuables with plastic or remove them entirely until the leak is repaired.  

DRY OUT THE HOME

After the leak is stopped, it’s time to dry out your home. Water stains and water damage will ruin building materials and valuables, yet your biggest concern is mold! In Jacksonville we sit within a sub-tropical climate region. In most cases, mold spores will start to replicate almost immediately after a leak is discovered.

Remove all furniture and electronics from the affected area. Set both in a well-ventilated area to dry. Water does not ruin electronics, sending power thru wet electronics does. Leave all of your electronics / valuables to dry for 24-48hrs, ensuring ALL water has evaporated. They will most likely work as expected when you power them up once again.

Now it’s on to mitigating the mold. If carpet is wet, pull it! Do not wait for it to dry in place. The cost of recarpeting a small area is well worth avoiding mold damage, which can become a problem for the entire home. Use box fans, and open windows to ensure the entire room / leak area becomes dry.     

MAKE AN INSURANCE INQUIRY

Discovering a leak means a call to your insurance agent may be warranted. Depending on the damage your policy may not cover you but it’s always worth checking to see if you’ll have any help or should start the process of filing a claim.

CALL A TRUSTED LOCAL ROOFING PROFESSIONAL

If you have a roof leak, or water entering your home, Roof It Right is here to help.

Your local, trusted, Master Elite roofing contractor, Roof It Right serves Jacksonville, Gainesville, Palm Coast, Daytona Beach and all surrounding areas. We are proudly endorsed by Jacksonville Jaguars commentator and 1010xl morning host Dan Hicken. Schedule your estimate today, and see why your friends and neighbors say “Roof It Right, so you can sleep at night.”