How to Find a Leak on a Flat Roof of a Brick House

Look at the ceiling inside your home to find water spots, peeling paint or rotting drywall. This will give you some idea as to what area of the flat roof the water is seeping in from.

Climb on the roof of the brick house using a ladder. Wait until the roof is dry and there is no rain expected for at least a few hours.

Inspect the flashing on the roof for cracks, breaks in the seams or gaps. Flashing connects the roofing membrane to nonroofing structures. For example, there is typically flashing around the base of the chimney. Make sure the flashing is positioned in such a way that water will be deflected way from the chimney, pipe or wall. If deflecting water toward the chimney, wall or pipe, this could be the source of your leak.

Walk over to the area where you believe the damaged area of the ceiling is below. Look for evidence of pooled water in this area. Look for concentric circles of dried dirt as evidence of a puddle. Place a level down flat on the roof to identify low points, or areas where water could pool.

Look for a trail of water that ends at this pool of water. Water will typically follow a path of least resistance and pool into one spot. Look for a trail on the roofing membrane slightly discolored, ending at the possible pool location, to see where the leak is starting from. Often redirecting this trail away from its current path will correct the issue.

Inspect all seams in the roofing material for gaps or cracks. Seams are a common place for water to seep through. Cracked roofing material should be replaced, or apply roofing cement to the crack or gap.

Test any possible leak spots or cracks with a water hose. Direct the hose in the area where you suspect the leak. If possible try to emulate the path the water has taken to get to that spot. Allow the water to run anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple hours; this gives the water time to make its natural transition into the low spots or leaking areas until water begins to leak through.