What to Do if Your Roof is Leaking Right Now

Step 1 — Contain the Water First

Before anything else, protect your home from water damage. Place buckets or containers under any drips. Lay towels and plastic sheeting to protect floors and furniture. If water is pooling in a ceiling void and you can see it bulging, carefully pierce the lowest point with a screwdriver to let the water drain in a controlled way — this relieves pressure and prevents a larger ceiling collapse.

Move any electronics, valuables or important documents away from the affected area immediately.

Step 2 — Identify Where the Water is Entering

Water travels. Where it appears inside is often not where it's entering the roof. Look for the highest point of moisture on the ceiling or walls, then go into the loft if it's safe to access. In the loft you can often see daylight through a gap, wet timbers, or water running down rafters — this will lead you closer to the source.

Common entry points on Farnham properties include failed lead flashings around chimney stacks, cracked ridge mortar that's allowing water to track down under tiles, blocked or overflowing valleys, and slipped tiles after wind.

Step 3 — Temporary Protection if the Roof is Accessible

If you have safe roof access and a tarpaulin or heavy plastic sheeting, securing it over the affected area can reduce water ingress until a roofer arrives. Weight the edges securely — a sheet that comes loose in wind creates more damage. Do not go onto a pitched roof in wet or windy conditions without proper footwear and safety equipment. If there's any doubt, leave it and call for emergency cover instead.

Step 4 — Call an Emergency Roofer

Not every roofer offers genuine 24/7 emergency call-outs. When you call, be clear: tell them there is active water ingress, describe where in the house, and ask what their response time is. A legitimate emergency roofer will attend to make the roof safe — this usually means applying a temporary fix to stop further water entry, with full repair to follow in daylight or better conditions.

We cover Farnham, Fleet, Aldershot, Guildford and the surrounding area for emergency call-outs any time of day or night. Call 0125 244 7622.

Step 5 — Document Everything for Insurance

If the leak is the result of storm damage, photograph everything before any work is done — the roof, the interior damage, water marks, damaged possessions. This documentation supports an insurance claim. Call your insurer to notify them of the damage and ask about emergency cover under your policy.

Keep any receipts for emergency work and ask your roofer for a written report of what they found and what they did. Insurers need this.

What Happens After the Emergency Fix?

An emergency repair is designed to stop active water ingress — it's not a permanent solution. Once conditions allow, a proper inspection and full repair should follow. This is also the right time to assess whether the leak is a one-off failure or part of a wider issue with the roof's condition.

Last reviewed: 19 July 2026