"You mean other than the water dripping on my head, what else do I need to detect?"

Roof leaks are something that is easily detected, and can be a major problem if not detected early.

Roof leaks can cause major problems if found too late. People do not usually go into their attic very often. If it has been years since you have been in yours, it is time to go have a look around. It is amazing how you can tell what is going on by a few simple cues that are easily detected even by the novice home improvements person.

When you go into the attic take a good bright flash light with good batteries. Even if you have a light in the attic space (most people do not). We will be looking in spaces that the light will not reach. One of the first reveals to look for is if there is any discoloration in the insulation. Look at it all, it is a sure thing the one space that you crawl is going to be the space that is compromised. Look at each eve in between the forms. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you are looking for any discoloration in the wood. Water or intrusive moisture will cause major discoloration in what ever it touches. This will be the damage that you are looking for.

If there is anything that looks suspect, call a friend that knows what to look for or call a professional. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to this. Problems that are caught early can be relatively inexpensive and simple to fix. If not, well you know.

Just check it out and see if anything does not look right. Don't let your sense of "I don't know what I am looking at," stop you.