If you don t want to wait for rain to look for the leak try bringing the garden hose up on the roof.
Stop roof leak in attic.
Trowel the roofing tar into the leak on the underside of the roof deck using a putty knife.
Don t go crazy with the water.
Begin soaking low on the roof just above where the leak is visible inside the house.
Insert a nail in the hole where water is leaking through the roof.
Run water over the low side of the penetration for several minutes while the helper watches for any water droplets.
Water found in these places is commonly caused by condensation in the attic.
Run the water over the place where you think the leak might be located.
Be sure to start small.
Before you leave your attic use a measuring tape to roughly map out where the leak is so you can find it once the rain stops.
If the leak isn t obvious have a helper watch in the attic while you get on the roof with a garden hose.
If your ceiling has a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the attic insulation push the insulation aside and look for flow stains on the plastic.
The nail will provide a path for the water.
Solution for a small leak some roof leaks are tough to locate.
Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak.
Have a helper stationed in the attic with a flashlight looking for moisture.
You can usually trace the path along a rafter but water sometimes also follows the underside of the roof deck.
Roof vent pipes are common areas for roof leaks.
Most people assume this is caused by a leaking roof but that might not be the source.
Rainy weather causes the first type of leak to be discovered.
Fixing this issue can be less costly than replacing a roof but it should be addressed as soon as possible.
After the rain as stopped and the sun is out put on some rubber soled shoes and use the same measurement to find the leaky area on the outside of your roof.
Step 2 place a bucket underneath the nail to catch the water as it runs down the nail.
Use enough water to mimic heavy rains.
Roof vent pipes from plumbing or exhaust vents penetrate the roof and are usually sealed using a collar style flashing made out of a flexible material like epdm rubber or flexible pvc.
Push the shingle or plywood into the tar and trowel more roofing tar around the edges of the patch.