Find the water path before choosing the repair
Document an Active Roof Leak Before the Assessment
Capture useful evidence while protecting occupants and avoiding unsafe roof access.
Document the actual condition
Active dripping, ceiling staining, or a damp wall calls first for protecting people, contents, and any wet electrical area. Record the rain start, when the symptom appeared, how it changed, and reasonable temporary protection. Photograph from the floor or ground; nobody should climb onto a wet roof for intake pictures.
Set the inspection questions
An inspector should compare the interior symptom with roof planes, walls, valleys, penetrations, and drainage paths rather than assuming the entry point is directly above the drip. The written finding should label accessible and concealed areas, prior patches, and the observations supporting any proposed opening.
Write a comparable scope
Separate emergency protection, diagnosis, permanent roof work, drying, and interior finish repair. The proposal should identify removal limits, tie-ins, exclusions, and the authorization process for concealed damage. Keep the incident log, stage photos, approved changes, and later rain observations together so dry weather is not mistaken for proof of repair.
Preserve the decision record
Create one incident sheet with the affected room, first observation, weather timing, temporary protection, and people notified. Update the same sheet if the stain grows or a second location appears. That sequence helps the roofer distinguish one continuing path from separate symptoms and gives the owner a clean handoff for drying or interior restoration.
- Mark the first stain outline and time before it changes
- List temporary protection separately from permanent repair work