It is very important for the homeowner to have the ability to detect a roof leak. If water is allowed to enter the home for any length of time, the damage will be extensive and very costly to repair. The National Association of Home Builders reports that a single entry point for water into the house can be somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,000. That is old data, and I suspect the number is higher today; the price of a replacement is restorative, not a remodel, so the figure could also be in the vicinity of $20,000. Adding insult to injury, if it is a wood roof frame, the water will almost certainly lead to a mold problem, which will be a further cost to resolve and a health risk to the inhabitants of the house.
The ability to locate roof leaks equips homeowners to take the kind of protective measures necessary to safeguard their investments. One of the most common signs of a problematic roof is water stains on the ceilings. But the signs can sometimes be more subtle, like paint that is peeling away from the surfaces it was meant to stick to, or attic insulation that feels damp (it shouldn't, of course). When you see or feel anything like this, you can be fairly certain that your roof is leaking, and you can start looking for the reason why. The good news is that even if you should suffer a leak, the signs of trouble can often appear months or even years before the condition becomes serious.
Finding roof leaks is a fundamental part of home maintenance that allows you to protect the single most significant investment of your life. While roofs can last for decades, they are also one of the home's most stressed components and must constantly battle the elements. Wind, ice, snow, and rain can all attack the vulnerable areas of a roof and eventually lead to leaks. By knowing how to find those leaks and, even more important, knowing how to find them before they become a larger issue, you're practicing good home maintenance. You're also extending the life of your roof, which means you won't have to replace it as soon as you might otherwise. You're also saving money. Finally, by knowing how to find the leaks, you're also allowing yourself to make some basic decisions about home maintenance that could lead you to path 1 (professional) or path 2 (doing it yourself).
