Damaged or missing shingles
Wind can lift or tear shingles, letting rain reach the roof deck underneath.
Roofing problem
Water stain on the ceiling after rain?
A stain that appears or grows after rain usually means water is getting in from above: the roof, the flashing around a chimney or vent, or overflowing eavestroughs. You can learn a lot from inside, without going up a ladder.
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What's likely going on
These are typical causes, not a diagnosis. A pro looking at yours can tell you which it is.
Worn flashing
The metal around chimneys, vents, skylights and walls is a common place for leaks to start.
Clogged eavestroughs
Overflowing eavestroughs can push water back under the roof edge or down inside the wall.
Ice dams in winter
Melting snow refreezes at the eaves and backs water up under the shingles. Stains during a thaw often point here.
Not the roof at all
A stain under a bathroom can be a plumbing leak, and attic condensation can drip too. If it only shows up after rain, the roof is the likelier source.
Safe things to check yourself
- Protect the roomMove furniture and electronics, and put down a bucket and towels. If the ceiling is bulging with water, keep everyone out from under it.
- Mark and photograph itTrace the edge of the stain lightly in pencil and take a dated photo. After the next rain, you'll know if it's growing.
- Look in the atticIf you can get in safely, use a flashlight to look for wet insulation, drips, daylight or dark wood above the stain. Step only on joists or boards.
- Look from the groundWith binoculars or your phone's zoom, look for missing shingles, lifted flashing or overflowing eavestroughs. Stay off the roof and the ladder.
- Note when it happensEvery rain, only wind-driven rain, or during a thaw? That pattern is one of the best clues a roofer has.
Stop and get help
- Water is dripping near a light fixture, outlet or electrical box. Don't touch the fixture. If the area around your panel is dry, switch that circuit off (panel door only, never the cover), and call an electrician as well as a roofer.
- The ceiling is sagging or bulging. Keep clear, it can come down.
- The stain is growing quickly, or mould is spreading.
Don't climb onto the roof or up a ladder to look, especially when it's wet or icy. Roof repairs are work for a roofer on site.
Show a roofer on video
Point your phone at it and a roofer tells you what's likely going on, what's safe to try next and whether it needs someone on site. $34 for 15 minutes or $59 for 30, and you only pay when a pro connects. Hollr is launching across Canada, so join the waitlist for your invite.
Questions
Advice only: Hollr pros diagnose and guide over video, and refer anything that needs hands on site. Live electrical panels and gas lines are never walked through on a call.
Is a water stain on the ceiling an emergency?
A dry stain that isn't growing usually isn't an emergency, but it's worth getting looked at before the next heavy rain. Active dripping, a sagging ceiling, or water near anything electrical needs attention right away.
Is the leak from the roof or a pipe?
Timing is the biggest clue. If the stain only appears or grows after rain or a thaw, the roof or eavestroughs are likely. If it changes when someone showers or flushes upstairs, plumbing is more likely.
Can I paint over a ceiling water stain?
Only once the leak is fixed and the area is completely dry. Otherwise the stain comes back, and moisture trapped in the ceiling can lead to mould.
Can a roofer help over video?
Yes, for working out where it's coming from. On a Hollr call, a roofer can look at the stain, your attic and your photos of the roof from the ground, and tell you what's likely and how urgent it is. They'll never ask you to go up on the roof.