Where is my roof leaking?
Water stain on your ceiling or wall? Tap a number to see where the water could be getting in and where it shows up inside.
Have a flat roof? See where flat roofs leak →
Where water is supposed to go
Where shingle roofs leak, and where it shows up inside
This house is cut open. Tap a number to follow the water from the roof to the room below.
1. Missing or lifted shingles
GETS IN
Wind tears off or lifts shingles and leaves the paper underneath exposed.
TRAVELS
Through the paper and the roof plywood into the attic.
SHOWS UP INSIDE
A ceiling stain, often after a windy storm.
Common mistakes roofers make
- Nailing shingles too high or with too few nails, so they blow off in the wind.
- Reusing old flashing and pipe boots instead of replacing them.
- Putting air vents on top of the shingles above them, instead of tucking the top edge under.
- Skipping ice and water shield at the roof edges and in the valleys.
- Leaving out the drip edge, or hanging gutters so water runs behind them.
- Not enough soffit vents, which bakes the shingles and causes ice dams.
- Roofing over old layers and hiding rotten plywood.
- Using caulk where there should be metal flashing.
How to check your shingle roof safely
After a windy storm
Walk around the yard. Pieces of shingle on the ground mean some came off.
Vents and pipes
From across the street, look for vents or pipes that are tilted, cracked or missing.
Black sand
Grit piling up at the bottom of the downspouts means the shingles are wearing out.
Attic after rain
With a flashlight, look for wet spots or stains around vents, pipes and the chimney.
Top-floor ceilings
Look for stains under vents, the chimney, skylights and where two roofs meet.
Stay safe
Never climb on the roof. Everything here can be done from the ground or inside.
Seeing a stain after a storm? We check every vent, pipe, valley and flashing on the roof during the inspection.