Roof Leak Repair: What to Do Today, Stage by Stage

Updated 2026-10-24 · Sources checked

"This morning we had a really hard rain and the skylight is leaking."

A homeowner who started a thread on r/Roofing wrote that, and it is probably your morning too. The repair itself is a roofer's job. Your job today is smaller: contain the water, dry what got wet, write down what happened, and stay off the roof yourself¹.

The stages, in order: contain and dry, find the wet spot, document, decide who fixes it, check insurance, get the repair in writing.

Quick answer:

Contain and dry: catch the drip, move belongings away, and dry wet areas and items within 24-48 hours².
Look in the attic for stains and damp insulation.
Photograph and list the damage before any temporary repair³.
Check your policy and deductible, then contact your insurance company or a roofer you choose, not one who shows up uninvited⁴.

On this page

What can I do today if my roof is leaking?
How do I find where the water comes in?
What to photograph and write down first
Can I patch it myself?
If you already tried a patch
If you were told to replace it all, or to just patch it
Will insurance pay, and is it worth a claim?
Getting a fair repair, in writing

A leak does not automatically mean a new roof: leaks can result from flashings that have come loose or a section of the roof being damaged¹.

What can I do today if my roof is leaking?

Limit the damage from inside. Put a bucket under the drip, lift furniture and rugs out of the way, and blot standing water. If water is dripping through a light fixture or close to an outlet, turn off the electricity before assessing the damage⁵.

What can go wrong is waiting: damp insulation, carpet and drywall left wet are where mold starts, which is why it is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours².

How do I find where the water comes in?

Before you rip the ceiling up to find the leak, go to the attic with a flashlight and look for evidence of moisture, not for a drip. One commenter on r/HomeMaintenance asked, "How are you supposed to find the source of the leak when it is no longer leaking?" The answer is what the water leaves behind: discoloration of the rafters, stains on the attic floor, masonry and pipes, or damp insulation⁶.

If it drips when it has not rained, rule out plumbing. Read your water meter when no water is being used, then again two hours later; if the reading changed, you probably have a leak in your home⁷.

Note where the stain is and any signs of a leak in the attic. The roofer will trace the entry point.

What to photograph and write down first

Do this before any temporary fix, in one pass. If you file a claim, this list is also what the insurer asks for.

The date and time you first saw the damage, and what the weather was like⁸.
Photos or video of the stain, the drip, the attic evidence and anything damaged, taken before temporary repairs³.
The damaged items themselves: if you file a claim, avoid throwing them out until the adjuster has visited⁹.
Receipts for what you spend⁹ to hold the water back.

What goes wrong here is repairing first. Once the stained board is replaced or painted, there is nothing left to show the roofer or an adjuster.

Wondering if insurance pays for a leak like this? What to do before you call insurance about a leak.

Can I patch it myself?

Not the roof. Roofing cement and similar fixes are roof work, and you can damage your roof by using improper roofing techniques¹.

The temporary fix is a tarp, put on to protect your house and belongings¹⁰. Have a roofer you chose put it on. Ask for the tarp to be priced on its own, in writing, so that stopping the leak today does not mean signing for the whole repair.

Once your policy and deductible are checked, contact your insurance company or a roofer you choose, not one who shows up uninvited⁴.

If the roofer can't come today:

Keep catching the water and drying what gets wet, within 24-48 hours².
Photograph first, before any temporary repair³, and save receipts for what you spend⁹.
Look in the attic again after the next rain and add what you see to your notes.

If you already tried a patch

One commenter on r/Roofing summed up the usual problem with a quick fix: "Fixed the leak but not the cause."

If you put tar or sealant on the roof, improper roofing techniques can damage the roof¹. Stop there and tell the roofer exactly what you used and where.
If the leak came back, the cause may be elsewhere: flashings that have come loose or a section of the roof being damaged¹ can both let water in. Ask the roofer to check those, not only the patched spot.

Thinking you could skip the roofer and handle the next fix yourself? What to check before you fix a roof yourself.

If you were told to replace it all, or to just patch it

Advice points in opposite directions: some say replace the whole section, others say do small repairs and deal with occasional leaks.

Patch or replace is decided after the damage is assessed: a patch for a hole, or all the roofing, and one leak point or several⁵.
If more than 10% of the old roof needs repair, a new roof is recommended⁵. Treat that figure as a rule of thumb.
Repairing just a section can be enough when that section or loose flashing is the cause, because a leak does not necessarily mean the whole roof must be replaced¹.

Whichever you hear, ask what exactly the roofer found and where.

Hearing that you may need a whole new roof and unsure if that is right? How to tell repair from replacement.

Will insurance pay, and is it worth a claim?

It turns on the cause and on your deductible. In Texas, for example, most homeowner and renters policies cover sudden and accidental water damage¹⁰, but most home policies don't cover water damage from gradual leaks or seepage¹⁰. Wherever you live, ask your insurer or your state's insurance department whether a similar rule applies, and read your policy to see exactly what your responsibilities are⁹.

The deductible is the amount you pay before the insurer pays anything. Example: in Texas, if the home needed $6,500 in roof repairs and the policy had a $7,500 deductible, it would pay nothing; with a $500 deductible, it would pay $6,000¹¹. Your numbers will differ.

That is why you get the repair priced first: if the cost of repairs is about the same or less than your deductible, you may decide it's not worth filing a claim¹². A written estimate from a roofer you chose yourself helps you decide¹².

If you file or may file a claim, make temporary repairs and don't make permanent repairs until your insurance company sees the damage¹⁰. Also take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage⁹: keep the receipts for the bucket and the tarp.

Getting a fair repair, in writing

Ask for the repair and the unknowns priced separately, in writing. You can send this:

Please put in writing the price of the repair, and the price of any hidden damage you find once the work starts. Please send me photos of whatever you find before I approve extra work. If the leak comes back after the repair, please tell me in writing whether you return without charge.

If a roofer pushes you to sign today or won't put this in writing, that is an answer too: weigh it against any bid from another outfit that does.

On payment: don't pay the full amount for the project up front¹³. Some states actually limit the amount of money a contractor can ask for as a down payment¹³, so check your local rules. Keep the last payment for the end. In Wisconsin, for example, never sign a completion certificate or make final payment until you are satisfied and all work is done as specified¹⁴.