An active leak in the rain

Every hour of water into the ceiling and insulation adds drying and mold work on top of the roof repair. The EPA's window for drying wet materials is 24 to 48 hours.

What is probably happening

• Water found a way past shingles, flashing or a vent boot and is tracking along the roof deck or rafters before dropping.
• The drip is often several feet downhill of the actual hole, so the spot on the ceiling is not where the roof is open.
• If it only leaks in wind-driven rain, suspect flashing, a ridge or the edge of the roof rather than the field of shingles.

Do this in the next five minutes

1. Put a bucket under the drip and move furniture, rugs and electronics out from under it.
2. If the ceiling is holding a pool of water, see the bulging ceiling step. Otherwise, poke a small hole at the lowest point of the wet patch with a screwdriver so it drains into the bucket instead of spreading.
3. Go into the attic with a flashlight if you can do so safely. Follow the wet trail uphill and photograph where it starts.
4. Photograph and video everything before you touch it. Insurers and the III both say to document damage before temporary repairs.
5. Call a roofer for an emergency tarp. Emergency roof tarping averages $450, with most jobs $150 to $3,300. Keep the receipt, most policies pay for reasonable temporary repairs.
6. If water has been running into drywall or insulation for more than a few hours, call a water damage company as well.

Do not

• Do not climb onto a wet roof to tarp it. Angi's own tarping guide says never tarp during a storm, in strong wind or while it is raining, and OSHA requires fall protection for workers above six feet for a reason.
• Do not spray sealant or roof cement on wet shingles from a ladder. It rarely holds and it hides the real entry point from the roofer.
• Do not sign anything from a contractor who turns up uninvited during the storm. See the door-knock page.

Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out

Tap each one as you ask it.

• Can you tarp it today, and is the tarp price separate from the repair?
• Will you go into the attic to trace the entry point, or only look from outside?
• Is this a repair or are you already talking replacement, and what on my roof makes the difference?
• Will you photograph the entry point before and after so I have it for my insurer?

End the call if

• A replacement quote before anyone has been in the attic or on the roof.
• An offer to handle or negotiate your insurance claim. In Florida that is illegal for a roofer without a public adjuster license (F.S. 489.147).
• A demand for full payment before the tarp is even on.