When you notice yellowish stains on your ceiling, it's time to call a roof repair contractor to check for a leak. One of the frustrating things about a roof leak is that it can be difficult to find. Just because the water stain is near your front door, it doesn't mean the leak is located just above it. The leak could be higher up on the roof and the rain just rolled down a few feet before dripping into your attic. Here's how a roof repair contractor might find a roof leak and repair it.

The Roofer May Look In Your Attic

By going into your attic, the roofer can look at the underside of your roof. This might give clues to where your roof is leaking. The roofer can see where the leak enters your attic to give them an idea of where to start looking when they're on the roof.

The Roof Contractor Might Use A Thermal Camera

Your roof repair contractor might use a moisture meter or a thermal camera to check your roof for moisture damage. The images produced by the camera can show a widespread area of water damage if it's present. This ensures the roofer doesn't just close the hole, but that they also address the moisture damage if it's necessary.

The best images from a thermal camera are often made later in the evening, so your roofer may need to come back later to use the camera and verify places where your roof has water damage.

The Repairs Needed Depend On The Damage Found

If you caught the leak early, the contractor might only need to fix leaky flashing or put a few new shingles on. If your roof also has water damage, the contractor might need to replace more shingles and even replace the deck in areas where it has started to rot. This is why calling a roofer right away to repair a leak is important.

When a roof repair is done promptly, you might prevent the need to repair your roof deck. That means your repairs would be less costly and quicker to do. However, just because you have a leak, it doesn't necessarily mean your deck will have a lot of moisture damage, especially if your roof is fairly new.

When an asphalt shingle roof is installed, the roofer puts a layer of underlayment under the shingles to protect the deck from moisture. If the underlayment is in good shape, it may keep the deck from getting wet when the rain rolls across it on the way to the hole where it leaks in your attic. The only way to know whether the deck has damage and what type of repairs you need is to call a roofer and let them check your roof.