Who should I call for a roof leak?

Who does what

• Roofing contractor — locates and repairs the leak source at flashing, shingles, tile, vents, or valleys
• Restoration company — extracts water and dries ceilings, walls, and insulation once the roof leak is stopped
• Insurer — assesses coverage, especially after storm or wind damage, which is handled differently than gradual wear

How to confirm it's actually the roof

A roof-driven leak shows up during or shortly after rain and often traces to a specific area near a roof penetration, valley, or edge. If the ceiling drips regardless of weather, or only when the AC has been running, the source is more likely plumbing or condensate rather than the roof — see why water is coming through the ceiling to work through those causes.

While you wait for the roofer

1. Place a container to catch dripping water and move furniture out of the way.
2. If a ceiling is bulging with trapped water, puncture a small hole in the center to relieve it into a bucket, rather than letting it collapse.
3. Photograph the interior damage and, if it's safe from the ground, the visible roof damage.
4. Avoid walking on the roof yourself, especially in wet or storm conditions.

Temporary vs. permanent fixes

A tarp or temporary patch can stop active leaking until a full repair is scheduled, but it isn't a substitute for identifying and correcting the underlying failure, which often isn't visible from inside the home.

South Florida notes

Roof leaks here are heavily tied to hurricane season: wind-driven rain can push water under intact-looking shingles or tile, and post-storm inspections are common even when there's no visible exterior damage. Given the age of much of the housing stock in Miami-Dade and Broward, a roofer will also typically check for underlayment failure and flashing age rather than assuming a single missing shingle is the whole story.