If the leak is intermittent or slow the drywall around the crack may discolor because wet drywall is a favorite breeding ground for mold.
Roof leak with clap board ceiling.
Aside from the above visible signs there are also some obvious health side effects that can trigger you to realize you have mold in your home.
Some roof leaks are tough to locate.
Place a bucket below the damaged area of the ceiling or where dripping is occurring.
If you have a faster leak dripping water may be pooling on the back side of the ceiling drywall and if so you cannot put off the repair.
Brown or gray ceiling discoloration.
Begin soaking low on the roof just above where the leak is visible inside the house.
Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak.
This is a disaster waiting to happen.
A steady stream of water may now flow down into your bucket.
If the leak is flowing water into your home through the ceiling and this area of water leakage is not near the eaves of your roof or your gutter system this is more.
Often water runs to openings in the vapor barrier such as at ceiling light fixtures.
When your ceiling leaks water the first casualty is usually the attic area along with the items that it contains.
If the leak isn t obvious have a helper watch in the attic while you get on the roof with a garden hose.
Contain the leak if you find water dripping from a bulges or discoloration in your ceiling it s likely that water is pooling on the other side of that bulge or dark spot.
If the water appears fresh there s a good chance it comes from a leaking plumbing line or fixture.
The drip however may also penetrate into the walls the flooring and your home s foundations.
The drywall itself may also be spongy and it may sag.
Nails or screws that were used for mounting satellite dishes or other roof mounted equipment can leak.
If there is active dripping drill at exactly the spot where the water is dripping.
If your ceiling has a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the attic insulation push the insulation aside and look for flow stains on the plastic.
If the water is dirty or stains the ceiling the.
Examine the water leaking from the ceiling.
Look in the attic with a flashlight for evidence like water stains trhen trace them up the roof and rafters to the entry point.
Your leak is a gutter problem if there is a clear issue with an element of the gutter system or definite water coming from the gutters end caps downspout or gutter seams etc.
Nail pops can also occur where the a nail or multiple nails push up and out causing the shingle above to lift eventually penetrating the top shingle and causing a leak.
Visible mold growth usually dark green brown or black a musty odor near the area of the roof leak.
With a drill and 1 2 inch twist bit drill a hole in the center of the damaged area.
