woman in sweater calculating expenses on table

Financing a Roofing Project? Here’s What You Need to Know

The need for a roofing project usually presents itself when you least expect it, and chances are your finances aren’t ready for this type of expenditure. Your roof isn’t something you think about until it causes problems, such as leaking, rotting, and general wear and tear. Luckily, there are options available for financing a new roof, but what should you know before signing the dotted line?

1. Fees

Just because a company accepts financing doesn’t necessarily mean that they will do so without charging fees, often a small percentage of the finance agreement. These fees are in addition to fees charged by the lending bank, including early repayment fees, origination fees, and late payment fees.

2. Interest Rates

Whatever financing option you choose, you’ll be repaying with interest. How much interest the finance company charges will largely depend on the terms you choose, your credit score, your income, and other factors.

Beware of the 0-interest options. These are fantastic if you can pay more than the minimum payment each month. Paying only the minimum payment will most likely not allow the balance to be paid in full by the end of the term, and after the term expires, finance charges and interest will be levied against you from the initial date of the loan.

Divide the balance by the term and pay that amount rather than the minimum balance. For instance, a $12,000 loan, interest free for two years, will require monthly payments of $500 to be paid in full within the two year term. This is what you should pay, regardless of what the “minimum payment” would be, to ensure the balance is paid off by the time the 0-interest term ends.

3. Terms

Choosing the right payment terms is an important consideration. Terms that are too long will incur higher interest rates, but terms that are too short may financially hinder your ability to repay the loan. Find a happy medium: what’s the most you can afford to pay per month? Once you’ve established a budget, you can find the best terms for your financing plan.

4. Saving Money on Your Loan

If you can, find a financing option that will allow discounts for things such as autopay and paperless billing. You may also consider a credit card instead of a financing option if you can find a zero interest card, or one with a lower interest rate than offered by the financing company.

In addition, if you belong to a credit union you may find financing options through your bank that can save you money in the long run.

Need a New Roof? PJ’s Roofing has You Covered!

PJ’s roofing is a proud partner with GreenSky Financing. We have two options to make financing easier for you, so you can get the roofing services you need right now:

Reduced Interest Rate for 84 months: Enjoy seven years of reduced interest rates on your roofing project.

No Interest if Paid in Full in 12 Months: Take a year to pay back your loan with interest free financing for up to a year.

Ready to learn more? Contact PJ’s roofing for a free consultation and quote, and make sure to ask about our special financing options.

aerial view of a neighborhood showcasing the roofs of homes

How to Choose the Right Color Roof

Nothing enhances the curb appeal of your home like the condition and color of its roof. Replacing a roof is one of the largest investments you make, and it’s a decision you (and your neighbors) will have to see every day for the life of the roof.

Your roofing contractor can make suggestions and provide samples, but the decision will ultimately depend on your individual tastes and preferences. Here are seven tips on how to choose the right color roof for your home.

1. Your Roof Can Impact Your Energy Usage

Dark colors will absorb heat, while lighter colored shingles will reflect the heat and help to keep your home cooler. Your roof alone will not make a huge difference to your energy usage, but when combined with good ventilation and effective insulation installation, it may help. 

PJ’s Roofing Pro Tip: Some geographies may have specific guidelines when installing a roof, such as using lighter or more reflective materials to meet environmental standards.

2.Your Roof Color Can Hide or Enhance Your Home’s Features

The color you choose for your roof can change the perception of the home, making it appear smaller or larger. Light colored choices, for instance, will make the house appear larger and accentuate its positive features. On the other hand, dark colors may draw attention away from your home’s imperfections.

PJ’s Roofing Pro Tip: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing a color for your home. An experienced contractor will be able to help you choose a great color to enhance your home’s best features.

3. Test Drive Your Samples Before You Choose

The quality of outdoor light varies widely depending on your home’s location. What seems to be the perfect color may not be as perfect as you think it is if your home has an unusual lighting situation, such as direct sunlight exposure all day on an otherwise bare lot, or exceptionally shady and surrounded by trees.

PJ’s Roofing Pro Tip: Never choose the color of your roof based on looking at samples inside. Choose your favorite colors and take them outside throughout the day to make sure they look as beautiful outside against your exterior as they do on your kitchen table.

4. Go Dark for Light

The idea of a roof’s color is to enhance your home. Your roof provides attention-grabbing contrast to your home’s exterior. Unless your exterior is very dark, a good rule of thumb is to choose a color that is darker than the rest of your home. Likewise, if your home is dark, choosing a lighter colored roof will give your home a contrasting “punch.”

PJ’s Roofing Pro Tip: Neutral colors may seem like an easy choice, but if your exterior is neutral as well you’re missing an opportunity to add a beautiful contrast.

5. Let Your Home’s Style be Your Guide

Traditional colors tend to work best on historically styled homes, while modern houses are more versatile for roofing colors. No matter what your home’s style, however, you are looking for a color to add contrast and complement your exterior aesthetic. Avoid monotone themes where the roof is the same color as the rest of the home.

PJ’s Roofing Pro Tip: Take a drive and look at homes that match your own home’s architecture. What color roofs are on them, and do you like the look?

6. Mixing and Matching is Not Always a Good Strategy

Ever notice how some homes have a perfect match of facade and roof while others look awkward? You’d never wear plaid pants with a checkered shirt, and the same concept applies with your roof color. If your home is finished with multicolored stone or bricks, for instance, it will most likely look better with a solid colored roof. Conversely, if the home has a solid colored facade you may be able to add a beautiful contrast with a multi-colored roof choice.

PJ’s Roofing Tip: Multi-colored roofing choices can include shades of grays and browns that will add a ‘pop” of color to a solid colored exterior.

7. A Dark Colored Roof Will Not Hide Algae or Moss

The dark streaks and stains on your roof aren’t flaws with the shingles themselves, they are signs that a moss or algae is growing on your roof surfaces. You may be tempted to go with a dark colored roof to hide these stains, but the truth is that the streaking and patchy coloration will eventually show up on any color of roof. In other words, choose a dark color because it will complement your home, not because you think it will hide moss or algae stains in the future.

PJ’s Roofing Pro Tip: Don’t give in to the temptation to try to powerwash the roof. Roof algaes and mosses aren’t inherently damaging to the surface, just unsightly. Your roofing contractor can help identify the invading algae as part of a seasonal roof inspection, and eliminate it.

Ready for a Roof Color Change? PJ’s Roofing Can Help!

When it’s time to consider a new roof, don’t be overwhelmed with the wide choices of materials and colors available. PJ’s Roofing is your trusted partner for residential roofing needs, providing you with a wide selection of styles and colors, along with the expertise to help you narrow down your choices and make a decision that you (and your neighbors) will enjoy for years. Contact us today!

tan home with stone accents and grey slate roof

Home Roofing Trends To Watch For in 2021

The new year is here, bringing with it a variety of innovations and technologies that are changing homeowners’ buying patterns. As more environmentally conscious consumers begin making roofing decisions, Energy-Star™-rated roofing products are becoming more popular. Mixed-material options, concrete shingles, and roofing that accommodates other earth-friendly products such as solar panels is also coming to the forefront, along with innovative “solar shingles.”

Let’s take a more in-depth look at some of the roofing trends we can expect to see grow in popularity in 2021.

Mixed Material Roofing

Roofing that combines traditional shingles with metal to create a hybrid option is one of the latest roofing trends. The combination of laminated shingles and metal roof panels on separate sections of a pitched roof has dynamic visual appeal.

Solar Panels and Solar Shingles

Increasing your home’s energy efficiency makes solar options popular as we begin 2021. Innovatively engineered, modern solar panels are more stylish and affordable than ever before—without sacrificing any energy efficiency. As technology continues to improve, energy-saving benefits will increase and costs will go down—making solar panels and solar shingles even more appealing.

Cool Roofing

Cool roofing materials reflect the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun, thereby reducing the heat conducted into the building. It also absorbs non-reflected solar energy, significantly improving energy efficiency, reducing power bills, and relieving the burden on your home’s HVAC system. It also comes in an array of colors and designs that complement and enhance the curb appeal of a wide variety of home styles.

Metal Roofs

Popular over the past several years, metal roofing is a trend for 2021 that is not going away. With so many colors and styles, metal roofing allows homeowners plenty of opportunity to create a unique and custom look and feel for their largest investment. In addition to being environmentally-friendly (most are made from almost all recycled content), metal roofs are stylish and durable, requiring little maintenance. They also reflect and insulate well, thereby reducing HVAC bills.

Concrete Roofing

Concrete roofing tiles provide style, texture, durability, and versatility, and require very few costly repairs—a combination that places them high on the trends list for 2021 roofing options.

Synthetic Materials

Made out of recyclable materials, synthetic shingles are a great choice for sustainable roofing that’s eco-friendly and surprisingly affordable.

Asphalt Shingles

The roofing material of choice for many years, asphalt shingles will continue to be a popular choice in 2021. Asphalt shingles are durable, high-performing, and extremely affordable.

Residential Flat Roofing

Flat roofs are becoming increasingly popular to accommodate the modern styling of newer residences in 2021. Minimalistic, affordable, and eco-friendly, flat roofing options are easy to install, safer, and more accessible than other roofing systems. Solar panels can be added without too much additional expense.

Looking for an especially beautiful, nature-inspired shingle color for 2021? Aged Copper is a serene blend of earthy shades—like deep orange, sage green, and rich brown—that evokes the peaceful serenity of a walk in the woods. This nature-inspired shingle color will complement a wide variety of exterior color palettes, giving your home rich and enduring curb appeal.

roof with signs of wind damage

How To Best Deal With Wind Damage To Your Roof

From blizzards to heat waves and everything in between, a high quality home roof that is installed in accordance with best construction practices is built to take the beating it gets year-round. However, there’s one element that can present a challenge to even the most durable roof: wind.

According to the National Severe Storm Laboratory (NSSL), winds clocked at 50-60 mph have the potential to damage roofs. And severe thunderstorms, say researchers at NSSL, regularly generate winds in excess of 100 mph. These thunderstorms account for more than 50% of all severe roof damage in the 48 contiguous, U.S. states.

Speed and severity, however, are not the only factors that affect the likelihood of wind damage. How your roof is laid out affects something called wind loading, which is the amount of force the wind applies to your roof. Houses with hip roofs tend to incur less wind damage than do gabled roofs. In addition, specific areas of the roof, such as eaves and corners, tend to be more vulnerable to damage than flats and other surfaces.

How resilient your roof is also depends on materials and installation. Flimsy shingles of questionable quality installed using shortcuts and other sub-par construction practices equals a roof that is far more likely to lose shingles and become damaged by high winds.

Even a good quality, carefully installed, and well-maintained roof can become vulnerable to wind damage over time. As time passes, the sealant between the shingles can fail, causing them to curl and crack. Repeated cycles of freezing and thawing can also affect the integrity of the shingles or cause rot to the substrate or underlying structure. The result in both cases is increased vulnerability to wind damage.

Make it a habit to inspect your roof for damage after a storm. Look around for shingles or other roof debris that may have fallen to the ground. Because high winds can damage your roof without tearing them off completely, think about bringing in a licensed roofing contractor to survey it for possible damage. A professional can inspect your roof for missing shingles and examine it for signs of wear and tear—including shingles that are curling or that have become partially dislodged and damaged from flapping or flexing, and find any gaps where shingles may be separating it from the fascia or soffit.

If wind damage has occurred, a licensed roofing contractor will document it in writing accompanied by photos, give you a list of recommended repairs, and provide a cost estimate. Ask in advance, but this should be free of charge.

Wind damage to your roof is usually covered under your homeowner’s insurance but also check your contractor guarantee and your manufacturer’s warranty. If is determined that your roof has failed due to poor workmanship or sub-standard materials, you may need these warranties.

Addressing any wind damage to your roof, even if it seems minor, will prevent future damage from storms, freezing and other severe weather. Taking care of the issues today will prevent more serious and expensive problems tomorrow– because there are few things more important to you and your family’s comfort and safety than the roof over your head!

roofers installing a new roof on home

Do I Need to Move Out During a Roof Replacement?

The roof is the crown of your home. Keeping it looking good and functioning well is one of the most important things you can do to preserve your home’s value and keep your family safe and comfortable.
Making the decision to replace an old roof that is no longer functioning as it should is a significant investment. Planning ahead is critical and there are many decisions to be made. One question homeowners often have is, “Do I need to move out during the roof replacement process?”

Fortunately, the answer is no…or at least, “not usually.”

First, let’s look at the big picture. Unless there are unusual circumstances, or extreme weather comes our way, replacing the roof of a typical, single-family home usually only takes a few days— almost always less than a week. We try to get the job done during the week while many individuals and families are at work or at school to minimize the disruption to our homeowners’ lives.

If you’re working from home or spend much of your day at home, it might be a better idea to stay out for a few days just until the work is completed. Despite our best efforts, roof replacement is noisy at times— and our crew members will need to be onsite to complete the work. Some families find this a good time to vacate the premises, at least during weekdays while work is progressing.

However, if you opt to stay at the house while we’re working on your roof, here are a few things you can do:

  • Park your car somewhere else to keep it safe from debris.
  • Inform neighbors about the ongoing job, the length, and hours our crew will be on site.
  • Keep pets in the basement of your home or in another quiet room to minimize their distress from unusual noise and activity.
  • Designate safe spaces in the home where your children can play and keep them out of the work area.

There are still plenty of things you will need to do to ensure a smooth and safe installation. For example, you’ll need to schedule the work at a convenient time and accommodate any changes to the schedule forced by unexpected bad weather. However, in almost all cases, you will not have to move out of your house entirely while your new roof is being installed. Even if you opt to vacate the premises during the day while the work is progressing, in less than a week, you’ll have a brand new roof that will provide the superior weather protection your home deserves and the comfort you and your family rely on day after day, year after year.

roof with gutters

It’s Spring! Time to Inspect Your Roof.

It’s been an exceptionally mild winter in Maryland, and it looks like we’re in for an early spring!  Get out and enjoy the warmer weather and the early spring flowers and foliage— just don’t forget to take stock of your home and property while you’re out there.

Just because Marylanders didn’t have to deal with a blizzard during the winter doesn’t mean your home— especially the often-forgotten roof— wasn’t affected. Even if winter’s rain and winds didn’t cause your roof serious damage, you should still do a walk-around to catch any minor issues that could cause greater damage down the road.

General Wear and Tear

Start your spring survey by checking for things like rust on your gutters or areas of your roof that seem to be sagging. These tend to be large areas that are easy to spot from the ground.

Gutters and Downspouts

No matter how clean your gutters were when you winterized last October, chances are rain and wind have filled them up again with dried-up leaves and other debris. Clean, functional gutters are the key to your roof’s drainage system. Efficient water run-off protects your soffits, siding, and shingles from damage, so make it a priority to unclog them completely.

After you’ve cleaned out the visible debris from your gutters, move on to an equally important part of your home’s drainage system— your downspout. Try using a hose or a plumbers snake for hard-to-reach areas.

Once your gutters and downspouts are clean and clear, check your roof’s drainage system for additional damage, including missing fasteners, holes, and areas that may be sagging.

Inspect the Shingles

No matter what they’re made of, the shingles that cover your roof are critically important to the integrity of your roof. Save “walking your roof” for the professionals, but you can usually see the following issues with your roof easily from the ground:

  • Missing Shingles. Have these replaced immediately. A missing shingle can result in a weak spot in your roof, causing it to leak and exposing it to damage like rot and mold.
  • Buckling Shingles. If the framing underneath your shingles retains moisture, the shingles on top can shift or buckle. Replace these right away, as they have the potential to tear or crack, causing serious damage to your roof.
  • Curling Shingles. Shingles that have been installed improperly will begin to curl at the edges. Have these fixed promptly to avoid further damage.
  • Blistering Shingles. When moisture gets trapped inside a shingle, a blister develops that can easily burst, causing damage to the roof’s infrastructure. Unlike most problems with your shingles, blistering can be hard to spot from the ground. Consider arranging for an annual, professional inspection to catch any blisters that may have developed on your roof’s shingles.
  • Stained Shingles. See any streaking or stains? Either of these usually means that your roof’s ventilation system is damaged, or there’s a leak somewhere else. Even if you’re an accomplished DIYer, think twice before tackling this repair. Contact a professional roofer.

Evaluate for Mold

If you catch mold or mildew early— before they seep into your roof’s foundation— simple remedies like zinc or lead control strips usually contain the problem. If mold has spread, or is covering a large area, call a roofing professional to contain the problem. Don’t delay, as mold that spreads to the interior of your home can be dangerous to you, your family, and your pets.

Trim Branches

Overgrown vegetation and hanging tree limbs threaten the integrity of your roof. This is a much easier job in the spring when trees are just beginning to “leaf out”, as opposed to summer and early fall when they are likely to be in full bloom. Keep them trimmed back if you have the knowledge and the equipment. If not, don’t take a chance— there are professional services that can take care of this for you at far less risk to your life and limb. (Cutting back branches will also reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning leaves out of your gutters in the future.)

Check from the Inside Out

Go into your attic and look up. If you can see any light anywhere, you have a hole somewhere there shouldn’t be. Assess for any water damage and mold/mildew growth. Mold and mildew have a particular smell, so survey with that sense, too— even if you don’t see anything, that telltale smell might mean something is amiss that you can’t see. Call the professionals for a more thorough inspection

Some people may be able to work through this list on their own. However, many will prefer to call in the professionals. Bringing in the experts can make the process more efficient and thorough. At PJ’s Roofing, we have the expertise and experience to provide you with a comprehensive inspection, followed up with any repairs needed. Call us today and start a tradition of an annual roof inspection.

brown shingles on a large home with white trim

5 Common Roofing Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

The roof on your home is the first line of defense against whatever Mother Nature decides to throw your way. If you have any problems with your roof, those issues are likely to become problematic sooner rather than later. Many roofing issues are caused by roofing mistakes, so it is important to confirm that your roof has been installed and repaired correctly. The five mistakes we have listed below are things to think about when considering the condition of your roof.

Poor Nailing Job

One important part of a standard roofing job is to manage the nails properly. There are a couple of things which need to be done right here. First, of course, is that the nails need to actually be driven into the nailing strip, where they are meant to go. This might seem like an obvious point, but it is missed more often than you might believe. Also, it’s important to drive the nails to the appropriate depth. If the nail isn’t driven far enough into the shingle, it can easily work its way out down the line. Or, if the nail is blasted all the way through the shingle, it actually won’t be holding onto anything and the shingle will be loose.

Dealing with the Valley

The low point where two sections of the roof come together is known as a ‘valley’, and it’s important because this is where water will head before making its way off the roof. Another common mistake seen in residential roofing is to skip the use of a metal piece to help usher water away. As you might imagine, skipping the valley metal is inviting problems with leaks down the road.

Failing Flashing

Flashing is an important part of many roofing jobs, as it helps to move water away from spots where it might be able to work into the home otherwise. Inexperienced roofers may have trouble using flashing correctly, which is a mistake that might not make itself known for a while – but is likely to be a problem down the line. When a new roof is installed, it might be possible for some of the old flashing to remain, but anything that is damaged or no longer serving the intended purpose should be replaced.

Out of Line

Shingles are meant to be installed in straight lines, and in a uniform manner. That part of the job is a pretty easy task for an experienced roofer, but those without much time on the job may struggle. While the odd appearance of such a roof is one thing to worry about, you may also wind up with performance issues if the shingles aren’t straight.

Shingles on Shingles

Believe it or not, sometimes a new roof will simply be tacked on right on top of an old one. This is simply not a good idea. Before new roofing shingles are installed, the old shingles should be removed and disposed of properly. Saving some money now by skipping the removal of the old shingles is going to come back around and cost even more in the long run.

How to Protect Your Home Against Winter Weather

snow covered home
As winter rolls in, it’s important to remember that winter weather can pose a threat to your home. There is certainly nothing you can do to stop the weather from coming, but you can prepare your home to the best of your ability. That way, when the weather does arrive, at least you can know you’ve done your part to protect your home. We’d like to offer up a few tips with regard to protecting your home during this harsh time of year.

Inspect the Roof

Heading into winter, you want to make sure that your roof is as structurally sound as possible. If there are any problems with the structure of your roof, getting them taken care of before poor weather rolls in and threaten to do damage to your home is important. Of course, going up on your roof to inspect for problems can be dangerous, and you might not know what you are looking for, anyway. Unless you are comfortable on your roof and have experience with this kind of work, it is a good idea to bring in a profession to do an evaluation. Doing so should not be a significant expense, and it can provide you with valuable peace of mind.

A Ground Check

We mentioned above that heading up on your roof for an inspection might not be the best plan, especially if you don’t know what to look for in terms of problems. One thing that is easy for any homeowner to do is to stand down on the ground and look up at the condition of the shingles. If any of your shingles are damaged or missing, you should be able to spot them from the ground (provided you can see all section of your roof, of course). Once you spot a problem from the ground, you can then bring in a pro to make the necessary repair.

Keep Your Gutters Clean

Fall is the right time to make sure your gutters are cleaned properly before winter moves in. This is a good practice for all homeowners, but it is especially important for those who live in an area where leaves will be dropped onto the roof during the fall. Leaves and other debris can easily cause your gutters to clog, and water will not be able to drain away from the roof as a result. Whether it is rain or snow, you need to move water away from the home quickly and properly to avoid doing damage to the structure. Again, be sure to exercise caution and only take on projects that you are confident you can complete safely. If cleaning out your gutters is a task that it out of your comfort zone for one reason or another, there is nothing wrong with hiring a contractor to do the work for you.

With proper planning, and just a little bit of good luck, you should be able to make it through the winter season without having to deal with too many home-related problems. Remember, get started early and give yourself plenty of time before the worst of the weather hits.

home roof with damage

Common Causes of Roof Leaks & How to Fix Them

Most of the time, you don’t think much about a passing rainstorm. You just tuck yourself safely inside and let the rain pass on by. That sounds good enough – but what happens when the rain no longer stays on the outside of the house? If you have a leak in your roof, you won’t be able to just sit back and enjoy the sound of raindrops against your windows. Instead, you’ll need to take action to solve the problem and keep the rain where it belongs – running into your gutters and away from your home.
What is it that can cause your roof to leak, and what can you do about the problem? Let’s take a closer look.

Failing Flashing

When installed and maintained properly, flashing can help you keep water from entering your home. However, it is possible for flashing to be installed incorrectly, and it can also wear out over time if it is not monitored. If you notice that water is making its way into your home, checking the flashing is one of the first jobs to tackle. Of course, if you are not comfortable venturing up onto your roof, bring in a professional to handle the task and keep yourself safe.

Absent Shingles

You don’t need to be an expert roofer to understand that missing shingles are a problem. The shingles on your roof are the first line of defense against rainwater, so having one or two go missing is an obvious problem. The fix here, naturally, is to replace the shingles. As long as this is the only issue leading to a leak, replacing your shingles should solve the problem and restore your roof to working order.

Old Age

Nothing lasts forever, and that includes the materials used to construct your roof. Over time, the weather is going to take its toll on your roof, and it may not be able to perform up to an acceptable level anymore. At some point, the only option may be to replace the entire roof before too much damage is done to the rest of your home. If you know that the roof on your home is coming up to the end of its useful life, it would be a good idea to start budgeting for a new roof in the near future. While you won’t look forward to spending the money required to replace your roof, the upside is that you should be left with a roof which requires very little maintenance in the years ahead.

In reality, there are nearly endless potential causes of a leaky roof. From just needing to replace a couple of shingles to needing to replace the entire roof, there are plenty of possibilities to consider here. As a homeowner, the best thing you can do is pay attention and respond to any issues you notice as quickly as possible. With swift action, you should be able to bring your roof back into proper condition in short order.

water leaking through the ceiling of a home

How to Locate a Home Roof Leak

A roof leak is a serious problem in your home. With the record amount of rain we have had here in central Maryland here in May of 2018, many home roofing systems have sustained damage. In times such as these when water has access to a part of your home where it is not supposed to be, you need to take prompt action. If left unchecked, water can do serious damage, and you may wind up spending thousands of dollars to fix the problem. It should go without saying that roof leak is going to need to be addressed right away before any long-term damage is done to the structure.

At first, you will probably realize something is wrong because you are seeing small signs of water damage. Maybe there is a bit of mold growing, or maybe you see a couple of water stains on your ceiling. Those are possible indications of a roof leak, but what is the next step? Finding the leak might not be quite as easy as you would think at first. If you think that the roof leak is always going to be located directly above the signs of water damage you have spotted, you are in for a big surprise. In many cases, the water will have traveled quite a complicated route to wind up where you found it.

A Flashlight is Your Friend

As you might guess, you are going to need to visit your attic in order to look for the leaky point in your roof. It is almost certainly going to be dark in the attic, so bring a good flashlight with you for the visit. Of course, you’ll need to be careful while exploring the attic space, since you won’t have much headroom or a solid floor. Shine your light up at the underside of the roof to see if you can spot anything that doesn’t look right.

An Artificial Storm

Ideally, you will be able to spot the leaky spot in your roof during a period of dry weather. That will allow repairs to be made before rougher weather moves in, hopefully limiting the damage that takes place in your home. However, it’s hard to see the spot where a roof might be leaking when it is dry outside. There may not be much evidence to work from, which is why you might want to create your own storm. Have one person spray the roof with a hose while the other person uses a flashlight in the attic to watch for drips. If there is a leak in your roof, this method is likely to help you find it in short order.

Take Action

It’s not worth much to find a leak in your roof if you don’t bother to fix it right away. Once the offending spot is identified, you’ll have two choices – fix it yourself, or bring in a pro. When in doubt, bring in a professional to keep yourself safe and make sure it gets done right. Unless you have experience and know you can do your own repair safely, the cost of a professional contractor will be worth it to both stop the leak and avoid the potential for an accident if you were to climb up on the roof yourself.