Roof leaking? What to do first, and how a roof leak gets fixed

Published 22 October 2026

What to do when your roof is leaking

Our advice, in this order:

• Check the ceiling. A ceiling that’s sagging, bulging or dripping from a light fitting can come down. Keep everyone out from under it.
• Keep away from wet electrics. Don’t touch wet switches, fittings or a wet switchboard (see the safety section below).
• Catch the water. A bucket or bin under the drip, with towels around it to stop splashes, and a second container ready.
• Move what you can. Furniture, rugs, electronics and papers out of the wet area, or covered with plastic sheeting.
• Take photos and video of the ceiling, the floor and anything damaged, before you clean up.
• Storm damage? Call the SES on 132 500 (see below). For any other leak, note where and when it drips, and how heavy the rain was, for the roofer.
• Stay off the roof. Wet tiles and metal are slippery, and the roofer will look once it’s safe.

Leaking roof safety: ceilings, electrics and Triple Zero

Brisbane City Council says: “If you are in a life-threatening situation or need urgent medical help, call Triple Zero (000).” The Insurance Council of Australia puts it simply: “Safety is the priority - don’t do anything that puts anyone at risk.”

Water and electricity are the main risk inside. Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office says: “Stay away and don’t touch switchboards if they are damaged by water, fire or if lightning is close, and warn others to do the same.” After storm damage, it says “you may need verification tests on your switchboard, wiring, equipment and appliances to be carried out prior to reconnection”, done by a licensed electrician. The Insurance Council adds: “If water has entered the property, don’t turn on the electricity until it has been inspected by an electrician.”

Roof leaking in a storm: when to call the SES on 132 500

Brisbane City Council: “If you need emergency help in a storm or flood, call the State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500.” The SES flyer lists damage to your roof, or a roof that’s “leaking significantly”, among the reasons to call, and says the number is for “non-life threatening flood and storm emergency assistance during severe weather events”. Council also points to logging a request online.

Expect a wait in a big storm. The flyer warns that demand “is huge and can lead to long wait times when calling 132 500 for assistance.” The SES helps with a home that’s “damaged and in need of temporary repair that you cannot repair yourself”; for the permanent fix, it says to contact your insurer or a private contractor.

Fibro roof broken by hail or a branch? Old fibro sheets can contain asbestos, so don’t sweep up or hose off broken pieces. The Queensland Government has safe clean-up steps for storm-damaged asbestos materials, and the asbestos roof guide explains the rules.

Finding where the water gets in

Water runs along sarking, battens and rafters before it drips, so the stain on the ceiling is often well away from the hole in the roof. A torch in the roof space while it’s raining (only if the access is safe and dry, and away from wiring) can show the wet trail. These are the usual places a roofer checks on Brisbane roofs:

Flashings and roof penetrations

Flashings seal the joins at walls, chimneys, skylights, vents, pipes and solar mounts. When they lift, rust or lose their seal, water runs straight in, often only when rain blows from one direction.

Cracked tiles and ridge capping

On tile roofs, hail and foot traffic crack tiles, and old cement pointing on the ridges cracks and drops out, letting wind-driven rain in along the ridge and hips.

Rusted screws, laps and valleys on metal roofs

On corrugated iron and Colorbond, rust starts at the screws, the laps where sheets overlap and the valleys where two roof slopes meet. A rusted-through valley carries a lot of water into the roof.

Gutters and box gutters

If the leak only appears in heavy downpours, look at the gutters first. A blocked gutter or downpipe overflows back under the roof edge and into the eaves or wall. Box gutters, the flat gutters built into the roof on many older houses and verandahs, are a common culprit: when they block or rust through, the water ends up inside.

Photos and your insurer after a roof leak

If you’re going to claim, the Insurance Council of Australia’s storm advice covers the order of things:

• “Before you start your cleanup, document the damage with photos and videos to support an insurance claim.”
• “Let your insurer know if you’ve sustained roof damage.”
• “Speak to your insurer before you attempt or authorise any building work, including emergency repairs, and ask for the insurer’s permission in writing, as unauthorised work may not be covered by your policy.”
• “Don’t throw away items that could be repaired unless they pose a health risk.”

Whether a leak is covered depends on your policy and on what caused it, so ask your insurer. Keep the roofer’s report and photos of the damage they find.

Temporary roof leak fixes versus a permanent repair

A tarp, a dab of sealant or a bucket in the roof space buys time. It doesn’t fix the cause, and sealant smeared over a rusted flashing or a cracked tile often traps water and fails again.

A permanent repair replaces the failed part: a new flashing, new tiles and ridge pointing, new screws or sheets, a new valley, or a cleared and repaired gutter. Ask the roofer to show you where the water got in and what they replaced. Published Brisbane prices are in the roof repair and leak repair cost guide.

Common questions