Mark the indoor stain or drip on a floor plan and attach a dated photo if one is available. Water can travel within a roof assembly before it appears indoors, so the room below is a useful clue—not a confirmed roof opening.
- 01Mark the interior location
Use the room, ceiling grid, column or equipment reference your team already knows.
- 02Add timing and context
Record the date, weather, repeat pattern and recent roof work, if known.
- 03Share the record
Provide safe interior photos, access limits and relevant roof records.
- 04Ask for a written finding
Request the roof area, observed condition, supporting evidence and next step.
Start with a dated record
Write down what happened before memories blur. Use the same room names, grid numbers or equipment labels your facilities team already uses, and keep the notes with the work order.
- Record the date and time the water first appeared, whether it was an active drip or a stain, and whether it has happened before.
- Identify the exact interior location. A simple floor-plan mark, ceiling-grid reference or column number is more useful than “near the back.”
- Take photos from a safe position: one wide image to show the room and one closer image of the mark. Keep a date with each image.
- Note recent rain, wind, snow or thaw if known, and whether the leak appeared during or after that weather.
- Record recent roof access or work by HVAC, electrical, sign, solar or other trades, including approximate dates.
Treat the interior stain as a clue
Mark where water is visible, then note nearby walls, beams, roof drains, curbs or equipment from the interior plans or normal work records. Do not open ceilings or follow water into an unsafe area to search for the source. The roof-side defect may not line up neatly with the ceiling mark, so the mark should guide an inspection rather than decide it.
Patterns are useful evidence. Note whether water shows up only during wind-driven rain, after a long storm, after a freeze and thaw, or following roof work. A repeated pattern narrows the questions for the inspector, but it still does not prove the cause.
Questions to take to the roof inspection
Metal systems differ by panel profile, seam and attachment method. Ask the roofer to identify the system and tie any finding to a marked roof area or photograph before proposing a repair.
- Panel joints and transitions: seams, end laps, ridge and eave details, perimeter trim, wall transitions and changes in roof level.
- Fasteners: missing, loose, crooked or visibly damaged fasteners and washers on exposed-fastener roofs. Record locations; do not try to tighten them.
- Penetrations and equipment: curbs, vents, pipes, skylight frames and other openings where flashing or sealant details meet the panels.
- Surface and drainage clues: corrosion, punctures, impact marks, debris, blocked drainage paths or water standing near a roof detail.
MBCI’s maintenance guidance for its metal systems calls for checking panel joints, trim seals and loose fasteners, and for inspection after severe weather. Its panel-repair bulletin recommends using photos and manufacturer guidance when discussing damage. Treat these as prompts for a system-specific inspection, not a universal repair specification.
Bring a clear handoff to the contractor
When you request an inspection, share the building address, interior location, dates and weather notes, photos, and any recent roof-access records. Tell the contractor about restricted access, operating hours or sensitive equipment before a visit. For the building-side logistics, use the commercial roof inspection preparation checklist.
Ask for a written finding that includes a marked roof area, the observed defect, supporting photos, a proposed repair scope and any conditions that remain unverified. If a coating or restoration is proposed, ask what repairs and preparation come first; the roof-coating quote checklist explains what evidence to compare. For other roof types, see Meadow Springs’ commercial roof repair service.
Keep people safe while you document
Do not use this list as a reason to climb a ladder or walk a roof. Only trained, authorized personnel should access a roof, following the building’s fall-protection and access procedures. Stay off a wet, icy or unfamiliar roof. If water is close to electrical equipment or a ceiling appears unstable, follow the site’s emergency procedure and keep people clear.