A brown ring shows up on the ceiling after an afternoon storm, and now you check it every time it rains. Good Orlando roof leak repair starts with finding where the water actually gets in, and that’s rarely right above the stain. Water comes through the roof, runs along a rafter or the underside of the plywood, and drips somewhere else. A patch aimed straight up from the stain can miss by a few feet, and the leak keeps going.
You’re probably also wondering whether this is a small fix or a sign the whole roof is done, and whether the next roofer you call will be straight with you. Those are fair worries. You deserve a clear answer about your own house.
APC Roofing is a GAF Certified roofer, licensed in Florida (CCC1337030) and insured. Leak inspections and estimates are free. Call 407-270-1129 and a roofer will come out, check the attic and the roof, and show you what’s going on with photos. You can also see all of our roofing services in Orlando.
Why Orlando roofs leak
Central Florida weather finds the weak spots. Summer afternoons bring heavy, wind-driven rain that pushes water sideways under shingle edges and flashing. Strong sun nearly all year bakes rubber and sealant until they crack. Hurricane season runs June through November, and one storm can lift shingles in ways you can’t see from the yard.
Most leaks start at one of these spots:
- Pipe boots. The rubber collar around a plumbing vent dries out in the sun and splits. It’s one of the most common leaks on a shingle roof, and usually one of the simpler fixes.
- Flashing at walls and chimneys. Where a roof meets a wall, metal flashing should be woven in with each row of shingles. When it rusts or works loose, water runs behind the siding.
- Valleys. Two slopes empty into one narrow channel. Leaves and pine needles pile up there, water backs up under the shingles, and the valley wears out years before the rest of the roof.
- Creased shingles. A strong gust can break the seal strip and fold a tab back. Even if it lays flat again, the crease lets rain in.
- Tile underlayment. On a tile roof, the tiles shed most of the water, but the layer underneath does the real waterproofing. Once it wears out, a roof that looks fine from the street can leak in several places.
- Screws on metal roofs. The rubber washer under each screw head hardens and cracks over the years.
Orlando roof leak repair starts in the attic
If your attic is reachable, that’s where the search begins. Water leaves dark streaks on the wood, and the highest point of the stain is usually close to where it comes through. A measurement from there to a wall or the ridge marks the same spot outside on the roof. Wet insulation shows where the water lands, and insulation that’s been soaked gets replaced, not left to dry.
Sometimes a wet attic isn’t a roof leak at all. Orlando’s humidity can condense under the roof deck when the attic doesn’t vent well, and a bathroom fan that blows into the attic does the same. Roof work won’t fix that, so you’ll hear plainly if the water is coming from inside your house.
Fixing the leak so it stays fixed
A bead of sealant over a gap is a stopgap. Florida sun hardens it and pulls it away from the edges within a season or two. A lasting repair replaces the part that failed.
A cracked pipe boot gets a new one, tucked under the shingles above it. Rusted wall flashing gets new metal, and the shingles around it are lifted and relaid. A worn valley is rebuilt down to the deck, because roof cement washes out the first time a summer storm sends a stream of water through it. Nails that have backed out come out completely, and the shingle gets nailed again into solid wood. If the plywood underneath has gone soft, the bad section is cut out and replaced before anything goes back on top.
You’ll get photos of the problem and the finished repair, with a short note on what failed. That record helps if you sell the house later.
Commercial roof leak repair in Orlando
If you own a shop or office with a flat roof, the leaks look different: water sitting in low spots, split seams in TPO or EPDM membrane, worn flashing around rooftop units. See commercial roof repair in Orlando for that work.
Repair it, or replace the roof?
Most leaks come from one part failing, and fixing that part makes sense even on a roof with plenty of life left. The answer changes when the shingles are brittle and bald, the gutters fill with granules after every rain and new leaks keep turning up in different places. Patching a roof like that can keep your house dry for a while. Think of it as a bridge to a new roof, not a cure.
Old shingles can also snap when they’re lifted to reach the nails, so a small repair can grow. You’ll know before work starts if that’s likely. If replacement is the better spend, our roof replacement team in Orlando can go over your options, and financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance. You make the call.
Leaks after a hurricane or tropical storm
If a storm opened up your roof, the first job is keeping water out of the house. A tarp wrapped over the ridge and fastened through wood strips will hold for a few weeks. It isn’t a repair, and a tarp left on for months traps heat and moisture against the shingles.
Then get the whole roof inspected and the damage documented with photos and measurements. If you decide to file an insurance claim, we’ll provide the estimate and work with your adjuster. You file the claim yourself and pay your own deductible. Our hurricane damage roof repair page covers that process in more detail.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free inspection. Call 407-270-1129 or request a free online estimate.
- Get a clear answer and a written estimate. You’ll see photos of where the water gets in and what it’ll take to fix it. You decide what gets done.
- Get the leak fixed and the site cleaned up. The crew repairs the failed part with the right materials and cleans up before leaving.
Roof leak questions from Orlando homeowners
Why does my roof only leak when it rains hard?
Light rain runs straight down the roof. Heavy, wind-driven rain gets pushed sideways and even uphill, under shingle edges and flashing that hold up fine the rest of the time. That’s why a lot of Orlando leaks only show up during summer storms.
Can a leaking roof be repaired, or do I need a new one?
Most leaks come from one failed part, like a pipe boot or a piece of flashing, and a repair takes care of it. If the shingles are worn out across the whole roof and the leaks keep moving, replacement is usually the better use of your money. We’ll show you which one you’re dealing with.
Do you repair leaks on tile and metal roofs?
Yes. We repair shingle, tile, metal and flat roofs. On tile, the trouble is often the underlayment under the tiles. On metal, it’s often worn screw washers.
Will homeowners insurance pay for a roof leak repair?
Leaks caused by storm damage are often covered. Leaks from normal wear and age usually aren’t. Your policy decides, and we’ll document what we find so you and your adjuster are looking at the same facts.
A dry ceiling and one less thing to worry about
A small leak rarely stays small. Water that gets past the shingles soaks the decking, the insulation and the drywall, and a repair that would’ve taken an hour turns into a bigger job. You don’t have to fix everything at once. It just helps to know what you’re dealing with.
The next afternoon storm rolls through, and the stain on the ceiling doesn’t grow, because nothing is feeding it anymore. Call 407-270-1129 to book your free leak inspection, or start with our free online estimate.
