What should I do if I notice water stains on my ceiling but can’t locate the source of the leak?

 

Finding Elusive Roof Leak Sources

You look in the attic and outside at your roofline trying to spot the origin of new water stains spreading across ceilings. But often leak pathways hide from plain view. Don’t panic. Smart strategies exist for tracking down leak sources. JC Roofings employs proven techniques to reveal elusive roof failures.

Start Tracing From The Interior Stains

Use clues in the stains’ shape and location to trace back possible leak entry points:

• Follow Stain Borders — Look for a “cut-off” perimeter where moisture penetrated the ceiling but not beyond a certain area, suggesting the leak’s immediate source lies above that water line.
• Check Above Load-Bearing Walls — Central ceiling drips along a load wall often mean rafter leaks above rather than edge areas.
• Inspect Near Penetrations — Stains around pipes, wires, ducts or skylight corners indicate perimeter seal failures probably causing leaks.

Thorough attic inspections also examine hidden backsides of roof decking for wet signs pointing toward fails. But don’t stop there if attic clues don’t emerge.

Pinpoint Exterior Leak Causes

Even without attic evidence, systematic roof surface examinations reveal most sly leak sources. JC Roofings professionals know exactly how to identify sneaky roof failures:

• Divide Into Sections — Mentally grid off roof planes into segments, inspecting each systematically so no areas get overlooked.
• Follow The Sun — Morning roof inspections allow raking low sunlight to highlight contours, raising and dips that indicate damage.
• Use An Extra Set of Eyes — A second technician watching from the ground can often spot difficult-to-see holes, cracks and gaps.
• Advanced Moisture Sensing — Infrared cameras detect missing or water-saturated insulation invisible to the eye but signaling leaks.

Through diligent scrutiny from both ceiling interior and roof exterior vantage points, JC Roofings outsmarts leak mysteries. Trust our sleuthing if stains baffle you. Call us before extensive repairs become necessary.