Your Roof Is Leaking: What to Do in the First Hour

A roof leak during a storm triggers one of two responses: panic, or a plan. The plan is simple, and the first hour determines whether you're dealing with a roof repair or a roof repair plus drywall, insulation, and flooring. Here's the sequence, in order.

1. Contain the water inside

Buckets, pots, and towels under every drip. Move furniture, electronics, and rugs out of the splash zone. If water is running down a wall, assume there's more above it — pull anything valuable away from that wall. This is unglamorous and it saves real money.

2. Relieve a bulging ceiling

A ceiling bulging downward is holding pooled water, and it will eventually let go on its own terms — all at once, over everything. Put a bucket underneath, stand clear, and puncture the bulge with a screwdriver. A controlled small drain beats an uncontrolled collapse every time.

3. Kill power if water is near electrics

Water reaching light fixtures, outlets, or the breaker box changes the situation from a leak to a hazard. If water is near electrical anything, cut power to that circuit — or the home — at the breaker and leave it off until it's assessed.

4. Document before you touch anything else

Photos and video of every drip, stain, and damaged item — before cleanup. This is your insurance record, and it's much harder to recreate after the towels come out. Date-stamped phone photos are exactly what a claim file wants.

5. Make the call — and stay off the roof

Call for emergency service and describe what's happening: active drip locations, how long it's been going, any storm that preceded it. Then wait inside. A wet, storm-damaged roof is one of the most dangerous surfaces a homeowner can step on — the tarp is the pro's job, not yours.