How do you find where a roof leak starts?
Water travels. It runs along rafters and decking and can drip into a room several feet from the actual hole. Tracing it takes patience.
A careful leak check usually moves through these steps:
- Look at the ceiling and attic first, checking for stains, damp insulation and daylight around penetrations.
- Follow the wet area uphill to find the likely entry point.
- Inspect the roof surface and every penetration above that spot, including flashing, vents and the skylight if there is one.
- Test a suspect area with a garden hose in sections, starting low and working upward, when it is safe to do so.
The goal is to fix the cause, not just seal the visible spot. A dab of sealant over a failing joint may hold through one storm and fail in the next. If the problem is spread across the whole roof, you may be better served by a roof replacement, and an honest roofer will say so.

