Roof Leaking? What to Do Right Now

The short answer

First, keep everyone safe. Stay away from wet wiring and sagging ceilings, and stay off the roof. Then catch the water, take dated photos and video, and have a roofer put on temporary protection such as a tarp. Your policy expects you to protect the home from more damage, so keep every receipt. If the leak came from a storm or a falling tree, report it to your insurer promptly. A slow leak from an old, worn roof is usually not covered.

Is this you?

Water is dripping through a ceiling right now, or a new stain showed up after a storm.
You are not sure whether to call a roofer or your insurance company first.
Your roof is older, and you worry a claim could hurt your coverage.
You are helping a parent deal with a leak, maybe from another town.

Step 1: Make it safe

Water and electricity are the first danger. The CDC says that if electrical circuits or equipment get wet, turn off the power at the main breaker. But do not step into standing water to reach the panel. In that case, call an electrician. Do not turn the power back on until an electrician has checked things.

Stay away from wet light fixtures, outlets, and switches. Do not touch them, even to turn off a light.
Watch for a sagging or bulging ceiling. A ceiling full of water can give way. Keep people and pets out from under it, and move furniture away.
Stay off the roof and off tall ladders. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) says homeowners “should never climb onto a roof.” The CDC says more than one in four adults 65 and older falls each year. A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report found people 65 and older accounted for half of all ladder deaths reported to the agency.

Step 2: Contain the water

Put buckets, pots, or a trash can under each drip. Lay towels around them.
Move furniture, rugs, electronics, and family papers out of the wet area.
Mop up standing water.
Don’t throw away soaked items yet. Louisiana’s insurance department says not to discard anything until an adjuster has seen it.

Step 3: Document everything

Good records are what make a claim go smoothly. The North Carolina Department of Insurance says to take clear pictures before you make any temporary repairs.

Take photos and a slow video of every wet ceiling, wall, floor, and damaged item.
From the ground, photograph the outside: missing shingles, fallen branches, shingle pieces in the yard. Use your phone’s zoom. Don’t climb.
Write down the date and time the leak started, and the date of any storm.
Keep a simple log of every call: date, who you spoke with, and what they said.

Step 4: Get temporary protection on the roof

Your policy expects you to limit the damage. The standard homeowners policy form (HO-3) lists your duties after a loss. They include protecting the property from further damage, making “reasonable and necessary repairs to protect the property,” and keeping an accurate record of repair costs. North Carolina’s insurance department says these reasonable costs are part of the loss, and gives a roof tarp as an example.

Have a roofer put on the tarp. It is ladder and roof work, which is exactly what you should avoid. HomeAdvisor puts roof tarping at $150 to $3,300*, with an average around $450*. Emergency or after-hours calls can cost 50% to 100% more.

Two cautions. First, don’t make permanent repairs until your insurer has had a chance to inspect, if you plan to file a claim. Second, a tarp is short term. Connecticut’s insurance department has said roof tarps and unfinished patching would generally support action by an insurer. Schedule the lasting repair soon.

Step 5: Who to call first

Your situation	Call first	Then
Active leak after wind, hail, or a fallen tree	A roofer to tarp the roof	Report the claim to your insurer the same day or next
Tree or large debris through the roof	911 if anyone is hurt or you smell gas. Then a roofer or tree service.	Your insurer, right away
Water near the electrical panel, lights, or outlets	An electrician	A roofer, once it is safe
Slow drip or old stain, no recent storm	A roofer to find the cause and write it down	Decide on a claim once you know the cause
You can’t tell what caused it	A roofer for a written cause	Your agent, with the roofer’s findings in hand

The HO-3 policy asks for “prompt notice” of a loss. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) warns that some policies require you to report water damage much sooner than others, so don’t wait weeks. If you only want to ask a question, say so clearly. In Texas, an insurer can’t raise your premium just because you called to ask about your policy or the claims process.

Will insurance pay? Sudden vs. gradual leaks

Homeowners insurance pays for sudden, accidental damage. It is not a maintenance plan. TDI says policies “usually won’t cover damage from gradual leaks.” The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says upkeep, such as fixing a leaking roof, is the homeowner’s job.

Often covered	Often not covered
Wind tears off shingles and rain pours in	Shingles worn out over many years
Hail punctures or cracks the roof	Dried-out caulk or rusted flashing that slowly lets water in
A tree falls on the roof	A leak that went on for weeks or months
Inside damage caused by a covered roof break	Mold or rot from a long-running leak

Even a covered leak may pay less than you expect. Your wind or hail deductible may be large, and an older roof may be paid at actual cash value (ACV), meaning its worn-down value. For storm damage, see our step-by-step guide to filing a storm damage claim.

Keep every receipt

Maryland’s insurance department puts it plainly: keep all receipts for emergency repairs to give to your insurer. Save the tarp invoice, any materials, fan or dehumidifier rentals, and cleanup costs. If a covered loss makes the home unlivable, the loss of use part of your policy may help with hotel and meal costs. Ask your agent before you book.

Watch out for storm chasers

After a storm, out-of-town crews often knock on doors. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says to be especially careful of door-to-door contractors.

Never pay the full price before the work is done.
Don’t sign anything that gives a contractor rights to your insurance claim.
Never sign your insurance check over to a contractor.
In Texas, it is illegal for a contractor to waive or “cover” your deductible.
Check the license and reviews first. See common roofer scams and how to choose a roofer.

Roof leak checklist (print or save this)

Power off at the breaker if anything electrical got wet (only if you can reach it without standing in water).
Everyone away from sagging ceilings.
Nobody on the roof or a tall ladder.
Buckets and towels down. Valuables moved.
Photos and video taken before any cleanup or tarp.
Date and time of the leak and the storm written down.
Roofer called for a tarp.
Insurer called, if storm or tree damage. Claim number written down.
Every receipt saved in one folder.
No contracts signed at the door. No full payment up front.

Good to know

Before the roofer repairs the leak, ask them to photograph the damage under the tarp and write down what caused it. A short written cause from a roofer is one of the most useful papers you can give your insurer, whether the answer is “hail” or “old flashing.”

Need a roofer to stop the leak?

A local roofer can find the source of the leak, set up temporary protection, and put the cause in writing for your insurer. Free, with no obligation.

Talk to someone about my roof

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Common questions

Should I call my insurer or a roofer first?

If water is coming in, a roofer comes first, because your policy expects you to stop further damage. Then report the claim promptly if the leak is from a storm or a falling tree. If there was no storm, let the roofer find the cause before you decide.

Can I put a tarp on the roof myself?

Please don’t. Roof and ladder falls are a leading danger for adults 65 and older. A roofer has the gear to secure a tarp so wind can’t rip it off. Keep the invoice for your insurer.

Will a roof leak claim raise my rates or cost me my policy?

It can, depending on your state. Most insurers check a claims database called CLUE, so they see past claims. In Texas, insurers can’t raise rates for weather claims, but three or more non-weather claims in three years can lead to non-renewal. See non-renewal because of your roof.

Where to go next

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* Prices are estimates and could vary depending on roof size, labor, and materials used.