New Roof Leaking? Who Fixes It and What to Write Down

Updated 2026-10-24 · Sources checked

"Can I make the roofer repair the leak or will I have to pay to have it fixed?"

A homeowner who started a thread about a skylight leaking after new roof work asked that.

First, let the installer who did the work know the roof is leaking, and put it in writing. In Washington, contractors typically guarantee their work for a certain period and, if needed, come back to make repairs¹. Your contract sets the real terms, so you need them on paper.

Quick answer:

Photograph every stain and wet spot with the date.
Check from the ground with binoculars and from the attic, because you should not risk serious injury inspecting or repairing the roof².
Send the installer a written notice with your photos, and keep a copy.
Ask for the workmanship warranty terms in writing: what is covered and for how long.

On this page

Is a leak in a new roof the installer's job to fix?
What to do today while you wait
Where does the water really get in?
The workmanship warranty and your written notice
If the installer stalls or the leak comes back
If you file an insurance claim
When does a second roofer make sense?
Quick questions

You don't have to find the leak yourself. Your job today is to record it and put it in the installer's hands.

Is a leak in a new roof the installer's job to fix?

Usually the first step is to contact the installer and see what they will do about it. The roofing contractor gives you a workmanship warranty, a second warranty on top of the manufacturer's³. Workmanship means how the roof was put on, and the contract decides how far the promise goes.

Not every installer takes the call well. One commenter in a thread about a roof replaced five months earlier wrote that "when it was just finished, it was leaking, they denied it is their issue, complained my window leaked." A written notice with photos is much harder to wave away than a phone call.

What to do today while you wait

Contain the water. Put a bucket under a drip and move belongings out of the way.
Look for the source from safe places (next section).
Write to the installer with your photos, as the next sections explain.

If the installer can't come today:

Keep catching the water, and dry wet items within 24 to 48 hours, because in most cases mold will not grow if wet materials are dried in that time⁴.
Leave the repair itself to the installer or a roofer you choose: you should not risk serious injury inspecting or repairing the roof².

Where does the water really get in?

Often not where the stain is. Leaks are rarely located directly above the water spot on the ceiling², so a patch placed on a guess can miss the real entry point. Follow the drip trail from the attic instead.

What to look for, all from inside:

Water stains and discoloration on attic rafters and insulation⁵, and on ceilings and interior walls.
In the attic by day, streaks of light around vents, chimneys or roof seams, which are potential leaks⁵.

What you find tells you who to call:

Water after rain in the weeks or months after the work: the installer, in writing.
Light streaks at a vent, chimney or seam: give the installer that exact spot and a photo.
The installer can't find the leak or doesn't answer: a second roofer you choose.

If you also wonder what else was done wrong, see what to check for other defects after a new roof.

The workmanship warranty and your written notice

Many contractors offer one or two years of coverage, and there is no industry standard³, so yours may be shorter or longer. In California, the contract should specify which parts of the work are covered and for how long⁶. Also ask what would void the warranty.

Then send the notice by letter or email, with your photos. In California, if you later file a complaint, you will be asked whether you formally notified your contractor of your concerns⁷. Wherever you live, a written notice is a sensible first move.

In the notice, ask for the visit date and what happens if the leak returns. You can send this:

Please tell me in writing when you can come to find and fix this leak. Please confirm what your workmanship warranty covers and for how long. If the leak comes back after your repair, will you return without charge, and for how long?

If the installer pushes you to sign anything today or won't put this in writing, that is an answer too: weigh it against what a second roofer tells you in writing.

Wondering what happens to the warranty if the installer's company closes? What a roof warranty actually covers.

If the installer stalls or the leak comes back

If days pass with no answer, send the notice again and say so. Then contact your state's contractor licensing board and ask how it handles complaints.

In California, a board investigation is not meant to get your money back, and whoever mainly wants restitution should consider the courts⁷. In Minnesota, the Contractor Recovery Fund starts with a civil action against a licensed contractor that ends in a judgment⁸.

A homeowner who started a thread about a skylight leaking after a roof replacement wrote, "The roofers cannot find the leak." That is the moment a second opinion makes sense. If it keeps leaking after a repair, write again with new photos.

If the first repair did not hold, who else can trace the leak? Who to call when a roof leaks.

If you file an insurance claim

A claim is optional. If you file one, take reasonable steps to protect the property from further damage and save receipts to submit for reimbursement⁹. In Texas, the rule is no permanent repairs until your insurance company sees the damage¹⁰, so if you think you may file, ask your insurer before the repair is done.

When does a second roofer make sense?

When the installer doesn't answer, can't find the leak, or the leak returns after a repair. Whoever you hire, ask for a photo of the cause and compare what each roofer writes down. Before another roofer repairs anything, ask the installer in writing whether that would affect your workmanship warranty, and keep the answer with your contract.

Before you call anyone, have ready:

Your photos and when the leak first showed up.
Your contract and any warranty papers.
A copy of your notice and any reply.

Quick questions

Will insurance pay if my new roof is leaking?

The policy and the cause decide. In Washington, sudden leaks are usually covered and gradual ones may not be¹¹. Ask how your policy treats a leak traced to the installation.

Why is my roof still leaking after it was repaired?

The first repair may have gone on the stain rather than the entry point. Ask the installer where they found the entry point and to show you a photo of it.

Does the manufacturer's warranty cover a leak?

In general it covers defects in how the roofing material was made³. That is why the installer's workmanship warranty is the first place to look for a leak from the installation.