Your Roof Is Leaking. Here Is What to Do Right Now.

Published October 30, 2026 · General information for homeowners

First, stay safe

Water and electricity are the biggest immediate risk. If water is dripping near a light fixture, ceiling fan, outlet, or electrical panel, turn off power to that area at the breaker box if you can reach it without standing in water. If you are not sure which breaker controls the area, or the panel itself is wet, stay away from it and call an electrician.

Next, look at the ceiling. A stain that keeps spreading is a warning sign, and a ceiling that sags or bulges downward may be holding a pool of water. Keep people and pets out from under it. Do not climb onto the roof during rain, wind, or lightning, or while the shingles are still wet.

Contain the water inside

Once the area is safe, focus on limiting the damage:

• Put a bucket, trash can, or large pot under the drip. A towel in the bottom cuts down on splashing.
• Move furniture, rugs, electronics, and boxes out of the way, or cover what you cannot move with plastic sheeting.
• Lay down towels to protect floors, and wipe up standing water before it soaks into hardwood or the subfloor.
• Once the dripping is under control, run fans or a dehumidifier to start drying things out.

Document everything

Before you clean up too much, take photos and short videos. Capture the drip, the ceiling stain, wet insulation if you can see it from the attic, and anything that was damaged. Note the date and time, and what the weather was doing: a steady downpour, wind-driven rain from one direction, or a storm with hail. These records can help if you file a homeowners insurance claim, and they help a roofer narrow down where the water is getting in.

Keep receipts for anything you buy to protect your home, such as tarps, buckets, or a dehumidifier. Our roof insurance claim guide explains how claims generally work.

Take a careful look in the attic

If your home has an accessible attic and you can move around safely on the framing, a flashlight check can tell you a lot. Look for wet or darkened roof boards, water running down rafters, damp or matted insulation, and drips around plumbing vent pipes, bathroom fan ducts, chimneys, and skylights. Step only on the joists or a floored walkway, never on the drywall between joists.

Water travels. It can run along a rafter, a pipe, or the underside of the roof deck for several feet before it drips, so the stain on your ceiling may not line up with the actual opening in the roof. That is one reason a professional inspection matters.

Common causes of roof leaks in north Georgia

Around Woodstock and the rest of Cherokee and Cobb counties, a few culprits come up again and again:

• Cracked or dried-out rubber boots around plumbing vent pipes
• Loose, bent, or poorly sealed flashing around chimneys, skylights, and places where a roof meets a wall
• Shingles lifted or torn off by strong wind, or damaged by hail
• Gutters and roof valleys packed with leaves and pine needles, which can back water up under shingles during heavy rain
• Limbs from nearby trees that scrape or puncture the roof during storms
• General aging, where shingles become brittle, curl, or lose granules across large areas

If the leak started after a storm, our guide to spotting hail and wind damage explains what to look for from the ground.

Temporary fixes: what is reasonable

A temporary cover, usually a heavy tarp secured over the damaged area, can keep more water out until a permanent repair is made. Putting one on correctly means working on the roof, which is risky even in good weather, so many homeowners leave it to a roofer. If the leak is active and more rain is in the forecast, say so when you request help.

Avoid quick fixes that can make the real repair harder, like smearing roofing cement over wet shingles or nailing a tarp through good shingles in many places.

Call your insurer, then a roofer

If the leak followed a storm, a falling tree, or another sudden event, consider calling your insurance company or agent to ask whether it may be covered and how they want you to proceed. Coverage depends on your policy and the cause of the leak; damage from long-term wear is often treated differently from sudden storm damage. Policies commonly expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, which is another reason to contain the water and keep receipts.

Then have a roofer inspect the roof. A good inspection should tell you where the water is getting in, what it will take to fix it, and whether the rest of the roof is in reasonable shape. Ask for a written estimate and photos of the problem area. If the roof is older or has leaked before, it may be time to weigh your options; see repair vs. replace.

After the leak is fixed

Keep drying things out. Wet insulation may need to be replaced, and drywall that stayed soaked can stain or grow mold. Check the area again after the next heavy rain to make sure the repair held. If you notice a musty smell, a new stain, or a soft spot, have it looked at again rather than waiting.