You may see stained or discolored wood areas that will lead you to the source of the leak.
Pics of leaks inside attic.
Place the shingle or plywood onto the tar and spread more of the tar around the edges of your patch.
If you know that you have a leak within a certain wall but are unaware of the precise location place the moisture meter at 5 or 6 different spots on the wall.
These areas usually have open stud cavities leading directly into the attic that are huge sources of air leaks photos 1 3.
Plumbing stacks can also emit hazardous gases so make sure that they too do not terminate inside the attic.
Map the roof leak.
Examine the entire attic roof underside surface for evidence of water intrusion.
Rainy weather causes the first type of leak to be discovered.
Scan for moisture inside walls with a moisture meter.
Even if your roof and windows don t leak though humidity in the attic can lead to the growth of mold.
Water runs downhill so carefully observe all areas below suspected leak s.
Also plumbing stacks in the attic can be a source of condensation which can lead to attic mold growth.
If your roof leaks or any attic windows leak you ve got moisture in your attic and probably need to consider attic mold removal.
In the attic photograph at left we show a mix of green gray and white attic mold.
Mold in attic is fairly common because attics are often damp.
Make the final repair as soon as weather permits.
Roof leaks will often lead to a small localized area of attic mold near where the leak is occurring.
Water leaks occur through roof failure ice dams and water condensation or frost build up inside an attic.
The photo at page top shows white attic mold on the roof sheathing and rafters and some brown or black mold on the attic side of ceiling drywall where we pulled back insulation.
Before you crawl into the attic make a quick sketch of the floor plan.
Repairing a roof leak from the inside is a temporary fix only.
When looking for attic mold trace both leak.
A moisture meter is a piece of equipment which when placed directly against a wall will analyze the moisture content of that wall.
Before you leave your attic use a measuring tape to roughly map out where the leak is so you can find it once the rain stops.
Make note of dropped soffits over kitchen cabinets or bath vanities slanted ceilings over stairways or any other dropped ceiling areas.
Walk carefully on the ceiling joists in the attic or use a sheet of plywood to walk on so you will not accidentally put a hole in the ceiling panel.
Without air sealing your attic you are allowing warm air to escape from your home carrying with it your hard earned winter heating money.