Roof · triage
Roof leaking during a storm
The short answer
Contain it inside, stay off the roof in rain and wind, and document everything with photos and dates. A roofer can tarp it once it is safe.
Stay off the roofWet roofs and storms cause falls. Never go up in rain, wind or lightning. Keep water away from light fixtures and outlets.
Know your shutoffs
Every outcome on this card
Emergency nowWater through a light fixture
Cut that circuit from somewhere dry.
- Switch off the breaker for that room, standing dry
- Keep people out from under a bulging ceiling
- Catch the water with buckets
TodayA roof leak in a storm
Contain it now; roofer as soon as it is safe.
- Catch the water and move belongings A small hole in a bulging ceiling spot releases water in a controlled way; only if it is not near a fixture.
- Photograph the leak, the ceiling and the attic with dates Note when it started.
- Call a roofer for a tarp once the storm passes Keep receipts for emergency repairs.
Related
Written from
Original casaq guidance, updated 2026-10-05. General guidance, not a diagnosis; licensed-pro review pending. Severity levels: Emergency now / Today / This week / This month / Watch. Send a correction.
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