In Orange County, we don’t get big storms too often. But when we do, there’s one thing that every roofing contractor in the region can count on – their phones will be ringing off the hook for emergency roof leak service requests. Every roofing service provider would love to reach your property immediately to provide solution for your leaking roof. However, due to the overwhelming demand, they may not be able to schedule you for same day service.
If you think that your roof is leaking, you can take immediate action to lower the amount of damage caused by the incoming water as you wait for help to arrive. Having handled countless emergency roof repairs in the past decade, our technicians at Adco South Roofing & Waterproofing offer the following advice about what steps you should take to protect your building from water damage.
Steps to Take When Your Roof Is Leaking
There are several actions you can take to protect your home as soon as you notice you have a leak in your roof, including:
Use buckets, large bowls, and towels: When water starts dripping, make sure that you have something there to catch it. Place towels and buckets or large bowls under the drip point to collect the water. The less contact the water has with the surfaces in your building, the less damage and repairs you will have to deal with.
Create a drain: As water begins to accumulate above ceiling material and it starts dripping from your ceiling, you can limit the extent of the damage by creating a hole in your ceiling exactly where the drip is occurring. Gently poke a hole in the ceiling where dampness or dripping is occurring using a screwdriver or pen to direct the flow of releasing water. This will mean you will eventually need to patch the small hole with plaster, but this is much easier and cheaper than replacing large sections of drywall.
Protect your furnishing: Remove furnishing to prevent damage to the items. Lift carpet and place towels at wet walls and on wet windowsills, if needed. Replace towels as needed.
Turn off the lights: Turn lights off when leaking occurs at electrical fixtures and allow water to drip out of fixture into bucket. If water collects in a fixture bowl, simply remove and dump. Leaking at a light fixture feels like an emergency, but electrical fire from rain is not a likely occurrence.
Remove debris: Remove leaves and debris from deck areas and window tracks to prevent damming.
Cover your roof with tarps: This action should only be completed by those who feel capable of walking on the roof of their building. Be sure not to attempt to tarp your roof while it is raining, as wet roofs are very slippery and could lead to dangerous slips and falls. The viability of this solution will also depend on the source of the leak.
And lastly, don’t forget to dry the dog!
Remember, the tips mentioned above are intended to help mitigate damage in an emergency leak situation. They do not replace the need for proper roof repair. At Adco South Roofing & Waterproofing, we understand the urgency involved in repairing roof leaks, and we will do everything it takes to provide the appropriate service and solution as soon as possible.
Contact our roofing experts today at (714) 543-7663 to request emergency roof repair for your commercial building in Orange County.