When your roof is leaking, the most useful thing you can do is work through it in order: make the room safe, catch the water, record what is happening, then get a roofer to find and fix the source. You do not need to solve the leak tonight. You need to keep people safe and keep the damage small until it can be repaired properly.
This guide walks through that timeline, with notes on the leaks Calgary homes see during chinooks and summer storms. For how we find and fix the source, see roof leak repair in Calgary.
The first 15 minutes: safety and containment
In the first 15 minutes, your only jobs are to keep everyone safe and slow the water down. Everything else can wait.
Check for electrical risk
Water and electricity are the biggest immediate danger. If water is dripping near a light, fan or outlet, switch off that circuit at the panel. Do not stand in water to reach it. If the panel itself is wet, stay clear and call an electrician.
Look at the ceiling before you stand under it
A flat, firm ceiling with a steady drip is manageable. A ceiling that is bulging, sagging or showing new cracks is holding water, and wet drywall is heavy. Keep children and pets out of that room and do not walk or work directly underneath the damaged area.
Move what matters
Pull furniture, rugs, electronics and documents away from the wet area. Cover anything too heavy to move with plastic sheeting.
Contain the water
Put a bucket or bin under each drip, with a towel inside to cut splashing, and lay old towels around the edges.
The first hour: observe and document
Once the room is safe, use the next hour to gather information. What you record now helps a roofer find the source faster, and it helps with any insurance conversation later.
Note where the water is showing up
Write down every spot you see water: the ceiling, the top of a wall, around a window frame, near a chimney chase or skylight well. Keep in mind that the drip is where water exits, not necessarily where it enters. Just note the location and move on.
Check the attic only if it is safe
If you can reach the attic hatch easily with a stable ladder, look from the opening with a flashlight. Note wet or matted insulation, dark stains on the wood, water on nail tips or frost on the roof deck. Do not crawl across the attic: the drywall between the joists will not hold your weight. If access is awkward, skip it.
Take photos and video with timestamps
Your phone records the date and time on every photo. Capture:
- A wide shot of each room, then close-ups of each stain and drip.
- A short video of active dripping, which shows the rate of the leak.
- Wet belongings, flooring and furniture.
- Anything visible in the attic, from the hatch.
- The roof from the ground, including any shingles lying in the yard.
Note the weather
Write down what the weather was doing when the leak started. Was it a heavy rain, a hailstorm, strong wind from one direction, a warm chinook day melting the snow, or a sudden cold snap? This single detail often points straight to the type of leak, and it is easy to forget by the time a roofer arrives.
Calgary leaks: chinooks, snowmelt, hail and wind
Many Calgary roof leaks only appear under specific weather, which is why a leak can come and go. Knowing the pattern helps you describe the problem clearly.
Summer brings a different pattern. Calgary sits in Canada’s most active hail belt, and hail season runs mostly from June to August. Hail can crack or bruise shingles without leaving obvious holes, so a leak may not appear until the next heavy rain, or even the next winter. Wind-driven rain is the other summer culprit: strong gusts can lift shingles or push water sideways past flashing that handles ordinary rain just fine. If the leak only happens when rain comes from one direction, write that down.
The first day: get help and dry things out
Within the first day, call a roofer and start drying the house. The goal is to stop more water getting in and to keep the water that is already inside from causing lasting damage.
Call a roofer
Share your photos, drip locations and weather notes. A roofer can judge whether the leak needs temporary protection now or can wait for a dry day. We explain how leaks are traced on our Calgary roof leak repair page, or you can book a free inspection.
Why tarping the roof yourself is risky
A tarp sounds simple, but it means standing on a wet roof, often in wind, holding a sheet that behaves like a sail. It also has to extend well above the leak and be fastened so it does not tear loose. A badly secured tarp can blow off or damage good shingles. Leave temporary protection to a roofer.
Dry out the room
- Run a dehumidifier in the room with the door closed.
- Use fans on wet surfaces, away from standing water.
- Pull up wet rugs and open nearby closets.
Mould can start quickly in damp materials, so the sooner things dry, the better.
Check the insulation
Wet attic insulation stops insulating and holds moisture against the ceiling below. If you saw soaked or compressed insulation from the hatch, mention it to your roofer. Once the leak is fixed, damaged insulation usually needs to be removed and replaced rather than left to dry in place.
The first week: permanent repairs and paperwork
During the first week, the focus shifts from damage control to a proper repair and a clean record of everything.
Get the permanent roof repair done
A temporary cover is only a stopgap; the permanent repair replaces whatever failed. Shingle sealant needs about 5°C to bond, so in cold weather the permanent fix may wait for the next mild stretch.
Bring in the right trades for the inside
Once the roof is sealed, interior work goes to other trades: drywall, painting, and an electrician if water reached wiring. Mould beyond a small surface spot should be assessed by a remediation professional before anything is closed up.
Handle insurance carefully
Insurance policies vary, so call your insurer early and ask how your policy treats roof leaks. The key distinction is usually sudden versus gradual:
- Sudden damage, such as hail or a windstorm tearing off shingles, is more commonly covered, along with the interior damage that follows.
- Gradual damage, such as a leak from years of wear or an aging roof, is often excluded.
Either way, most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage.
Keep every receipt
Save receipts for everything connected to the leak, from dehumidifier rental to temporary roof protection and drywall, and keep them with your dated photos.
Do and don’t checklist
Print this or save it to your phone, so it is ready when you need it.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Switch off power to circuits near the water | Touch wet fixtures, switches or outlets |
| Keep people and pets away from bulging ceilings | Stand or work under a sagging ceiling |
| Catch drips with buckets and move belongings | Leave furniture and electronics in the wet area |
| Take dated photos and video of everything | Throw away damaged items before documenting them |
| Note the weather when the leak started | Assume the leak is right above the stain |
| Look into the attic from the hatch if safe | Crawl across the attic or step between joists |
| Call a roofer promptly | Climb onto a wet, icy or windy roof |
| Run a dehumidifier and fans | Close up wet drywall or insulation |
| Call your insurer and keep receipts | Start demolition before talking to your insurer |
Preventing the next leak
The best way to avoid the next leak is a few simple checks each season, all done from the ground, plus a professional look after hail and before winter.
Seasonal checks from the ground
- Spring: with binoculars, look for missing, curled or lifted shingles and damage around vents and chimneys.
- Summer: after strong wind, look for shingles in the yard.
- Fall: check the attic hatch for stains or damp insulation.
- Winter: watch for thick ridges of ice along the eaves, a sign of ice damming.
After a hailstorm
Hail damage is hard to see from the ground and often does not leak right away. After a storm that dented cars or siding nearby, have the roof checked.
Before winter
Book any fall roof work by mid-September. Snow can arrive in Calgary as early as the third week of September, and once the roof is covered, repairs become harder and slower.
If you want a second set of eyes on your roof before the weather turns, book a free inspection or contact us with any questions. A small fix now is far easier than a wet ceiling in January.