After a flooding rain, do things in this order: stay safe, catch the water, take photos, get the roof opening sealed, then dry things out. A permanent repair can wait a few days. Stopping the water cannot.
Flood water on the ground rarely reaches a roof. But the storms that flood North Texas streets also dump hard rain and wind on roofs. Any weak spot lets water in from above. On flat roofs, water can pool until it finds a way inside.
The first day
- Stay off the roof. It is wet and slick, and the wood below may be soft.
- Watch for power. If water is coming through a light or near an outlet, turn off the breaker for that room.
- Catch and move. Put buckets under drips. Move furniture and rugs. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep clear of it.
- Take photos and video. Get the ceiling, the walls, the floor and anything that got wet. Write down the date and time.
- Get the opening sealed. Call a roofer to tarp or patch the spot. This is a short-term fix to keep the next rain out.
- Start drying. Run fans and a dehumidifier. Wet drywall and insulation can start to grow mold within a day or two.
Whether storm damage is covered is decided by your policy and your insurance company. Keep your photos and dates together in one place.
What to check on a house
- Ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains, in every room.
- The attic, for wet insulation or dark, damp wood.
- Gutters and downspouts. If they overflowed, water may have run behind the fascia, the board the gutter hangs on.
- The yard, for shingles or pieces of shingle.
If the gutters could not keep up with the rain, they may be too small, clogged or sloped wrong. That is fixable. See gutter installation.
What to check on a business or flat roof
Flat roofs are not truly flat. They tilt a little toward drains or scuppers, the openings at the roof edge that let water off. When those clog, water stands on the roof. Standing water is heavy and it finds every weak seam.
- Look for stained or sagging ceiling tiles.
- Have the drains and scuppers cleared of leaves and trash.
- Ask if water is still standing on the roof two days after the rain. It should not be.
- Have the seams and the flashing checked. Flashing is the metal or rubber strip that seals the roof to walls, units and pipes.
Keep notes on which parts of the building got wet. That helps a roofer trace the leak, since water often travels before it drips.
Repair or new roof?
One leak does not mean you need a new roof. Often the fix is a few shingles, a strip of flashing or a cleared drain. A new roof makes more sense if:
- The roof leaks in many places.
- The wood deck under it is soft or rotten over a wide area.
- The roof was near the end of its life before the storm.
Ask for photos of the problem and a written price for both options if both are on the table.
What to do next
If water is coming in, call a local roofer and get the opening sealed first. Legacy Roofing is based in Crowley and does roof repairs on homes and commercial buildings. The office number is (817) 602-2057.
