Often I am called upon to help a homeowner figure out why something in their home is leaking and what can be done to properly fix it.
I have been fortunate to build a career out of being somewhat of a ‘leak whisperer’ and be able to pinpoint one of the things that homeowners near and far have battled with over the course of history – where is that leak coming from and how can we stop it before things get worse?
Any veteran homeowner will tell you that having a leak can often be a course of frustration to the point of every time they hear that there is rain in the forecast, they cringe internally, their heart starts quickly palpitating or perhaps feels as though it drops right into their stomach.
Leaks can be annoyingly challenging to diagnose, particularly if you are not accustomed to looking for where they are coming from.
This predicament becomes even more pronounced if the leak is coming from some type of flashing nuance around windows, doors, roofs, chimneys, dormers, etc., where the average homeowner may not even begin to know where to start to look.
If the source of the leak is found, it should obviously be important to address it as fast as you can!!
However, I have had quite of number of instances recently where, as crazy as it may sound, when I literally have shown the homeowner who had called me in to help find the leak where the leak was EXACTLY coming from, the homeowner then thanks me and turns to say that they were going to “go after the roofer who didn’t flash something correctly” or “make the window company come back and fix the missing drip cap areas around their window install”.
Open palm, insert face.
This is all fine and dandy, but this challenge is certainly twofold.
First, if things were not done correctly and have risen to the point where outside experts are being called in to help find the leak, what makes you think it is going to be easy to get the initial company back to correct things properly and that if they do come back, that they will actually properly fix things?
Secondly, the longer this process drags out, the more water you are likely to take on, which increases the likelihood that you will have to work through some type of rotted wood or even mold challenge when things finally get fixed.
If at all possible, once the leak’s source is recognized, the leak should be neutralized as fast as possible!
While “going after” an erring tradesperson or making someone come back to fix something that was not done properly in the first place may feel like the right thing to do, rot, mold, and things getting damaged by continually leaking water could care less about your pride and will continue to wreak havoc until they are properly fixed.
Leaks are not something that should be played around with.
The mere action of the leak is annoying enough.
Chasing leaks with empty cooking pots every time it rains is not fun and to continue to do so because you want to make another person/entity “pay” in some way, shape, or form for their actions may very well be an exercise in futility, while at the same time your home is possibly becoming more damaged with each rain event and the cost to correct things will undoubtedly continue to rise in the process.
Stop playing around.
Find out where the leak is coming from and get it fixed ASAP.
Your home (and bank account) will thank you for it as the sooner it is fixed, ultimately the less subsequent damage there will be to pay to fix in the long run.
