You’ve recently invested in a new roof and breathed a sigh of relief that you won’t need to deal with repairs for a while. Suddenly, it rains, and now you’ve got a brand new roof leaking! You called the contractor who installed it immediately—only to discover they've gone out of business. Now, what?
If your new roof leaks in heavy rain or you’ve discovered your new roof leaking after 2 years, these situations are more common than you might think. So, if you have a leak and no contractor in sight, you’re not alone.
Let’s go over what you should do in this predicament.
How to Handle a Roof Leak in 4 Steps
Most often, a roof leak originates around the flashing or seal around protrusions in the roof, such as chimneys, skylights, stack lines, or valleys. This type of roof leak is relatively easy to fix and likely won’t be too costly or take too long to complete.
If you have a new flat roof leaking, it’s because flat roofs are more likely to collect water than sloped roofs, and poor drainage or clogged drainage can make matters worse.
1. Don’t Panic
A roof leak is usually not a big deal, and often, it's not even a symptom of shoddy roof work. Anyone can make mistakes—just because your new roof is leaking doesn’t necessarily mean that the work itself was poorly done, but it does need to be promptly taken care of.
If you can, place a tarp over the leaking area to keep things as dry as possible until you can fix it. Next, we’ll assess the leak.
2. Assess the Situation
Gather as much information about the roof leak before calling a new contractor to fix it. Do your best to find where the leak is coming from. You don’t necessarily have to climb up onto the roof to do this—first, scan the roof from the ground to see what you can observe, then check the underside of your roof deck from within the attic.
It may also be helpful to note the time it started raining, how hard it was raining, and how long it had been raining when the roof leak started to appear. This information can help a new roofer determine how serious the issue is and how best to fix it.
3. Check Your Paperwork
Do you have photos of the tear-off or underlayment from when your roof was replaced? This could help your new contractor identify the issue. Knowing the scope of the work will also help a new roofer determine whether the previous contractor followed specifications or what was being covered up.
Both of these things will help a new contractor figure out what needs to be done more quickly, so collect as much of this information as you can.
4. Check With the Manufacturer
Check with the manufacturer of the roofing product used to see if a warranty was registered at the time of the original installation. If so, the problem could potentially be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.
The manufacturer’s warranty on the product and the contractor’s warranty on the installation are separate, so depending on the problem, the manufacturer’s warranty may or may not cover it—but it’s always worth checking.
Do Your Due Diligence to Find a New, Reputable Roofer
When you call a new roofer to fix your leak, don’t just hire the first one you can find in a panic. Do some research to ensure you hire an established, reputable roofing contractor to avoid future issues.
- Check online reviews.
- Ask friends and family for referrals.
- Look for a contractor who has been around for a while.
Good reviews and longevity are positive signs that a roofer does quality work, has a reputation for customer satisfaction, and will be in business for the foreseeable future.
- Interview a few roofers before choosing one and get estimates from each. If a contractor says they’ll need to reroof the whole house again to fix the issue, that may be a red flag.
- Get a second opinion before you agree to such an extreme solution. Also, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. If one roofer is offering you a price well below the others, that could be a red flag, too. A contractor with a good reputation and who has been in business for a while will be well worth the money they charge.
- Find a roofing contractor who will not only fix the problem but also warranty their work. Ideally, find one that will also extend a warranty to the rest of the roof. You may have to pay extra for this service, but it will be worth it to have peace of mind and someone to call the next time you have an issue.
Need a Roof Leak Repair?
If you have a new roof leaking and your contractor has gone out of business, all is not lost—any experienced roofing contractor can fix your roof leak. Make sure that going forward, you have a contractor by your side who will stand by their work—should future issues arise.
All Elements offers the best residential and commercial roof inspection and repair throughout Minnesota. We’re an established business with a solid reputation for high-quality workmanship and customer service, and we always stand by our work.
We only use the best products and have relationships with top manufacturers, including Duro-Last, Owens Corning, GAF-ELK, Firestone, Carlisle, and many more. If you’ve found yourself without a roofing contractor, we’d be happy to take care of your roof. Contact us today for an estimate. We look forward to serving you!
