Roof Leak Repair

A roof leak never happens at a convenient time. Water spots spreading across the ceiling, dripping around a light fixture, a stain that shows up after every heavy rain — by the time you can see it inside, water has usually been working on your decking and insulation for a while. Holmes Roofing & Exterior Solutions repairs roof leaks across San Antonio, Schertz, Selma, and New Braunfels. Call (210) 440-1013, Monday–Saturday 9am–6pm — tell us it’s an active leak. Inspections are free, and if a storm caused the damage, our free inspection documents exactly what you’ve got in an insurance-ready report.

Water is coming through my ceiling — what do I do right now?

Do these five things, in this order:

1. Contain the water. Put a bucket or trash can under the drip and move furniture, electronics, and rugs out of the way.
2. Relieve bulging ceilings carefully. If the drywall is sagging or bubbling with trapped water, poke a small hole at the center of the bulge with a screwdriver and let it drain into the bucket. It feels wrong, but a controlled drain beats a ceiling collapse.
3. Kill power to the area if water is near fixtures. If water is coming through or around a light fixture or fan, switch off that circuit at the breaker before touching anything.
4. Document everything. Photos and video of the ceiling, the attic if you can reach it safely, and the outside of the roof from the ground. Timestamped photos are exactly what an insurance adjuster wants to see.
5. Do not get on the roof. A wet roof is a fall hazard, and walking hail-damaged or storm-damaged shingles can make the damage worse — and give the insurance company a reason to argue about what was storm damage and what wasn’t.

Then call a roofer. Holmes answers at (210) 440-1013, Monday–Saturday 9am–6pm — tell us water is actively coming in.

Why is my roof leaking? The five most common causes in San Antonio

• Failed flashing — the metal sealing the joints at chimneys, walls, and vents. San Antonio’s hard UV dries out flashing sealant and our spring hail dents the metal itself. Failed flashing is one of the most common sources of roof leaks, and from inside the house it often looks like a “chimney leak” or “wall leak” from inside the house.
• Hail-bruised or cracked shingles — Bexar County’s spring hail season (March–June) leaves bruises that don’t leak immediately. The leak shows up at the first heavy rain weeks or months later, which is why leaks often show up in early summer.
• Wind-lifted or missing shingles — wind-driven storms crease or tear shingles along ridges and edges. A creased shingle can look fine from the ground and still channel water under the course below it.
• Pipe boot and vent failures — the rubber gaskets around plumbing vents dry out and crack in Texas heat. A small, cheap part that causes thousands in ceiling damage when it fails.
• Clogged or separated gutters backing water up under the eave edge — common on older homes around Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, and Windcrest with mature oak cover.

A proper leak diagnosis traces the water path from the inside stain back up to the actual entry point — which is often several feet uphill from where the water shows. That trace is part of every free Holmes inspection.

What does roof leak repair cost in San Antonio?

It depends on what’s actually letting the water in — a cracked pipe boot is a small fix, chimney flashing rework is a bigger one, and decking that’s been wet for months adds to either. That’s why every Holmes leak repair starts with a free inspection and a written quote before any work: you see the exact scope and the exact number first. If damage is widespread — hail bruising across a full slope, multiple entry points — repair may not be the right money decision, and we’ll show you the math against a replacement rather than sell you a patch that buys one season. If a storm caused the damage, it often qualifies for an insurance claim — our free inspection documents exactly what you’ve got, in a report your adjuster can work from.

Emergency roof tarping in San Antonio

When a storm opens a hole that can’t be permanently fixed same-day — or an adjuster needs to see the damage before repairs start — the right move is a professionally installed tarp. A proper tarp job uses furring strips screwed through the tarp into the decking (not bricks or sandbags that blow off with the next gust), and covers the damaged area past the ridge so water can’t run under it. Insurance policies generally require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a storm — a documented, professionally installed tarp does exactly that. Holmes installs tarps as an interim measure during business hours and schedules the permanent repair with you before we leave.

A tree or branch fell on my roof — who do I call first?

In this order:

1. Everyone out of the room below — impact damage can compromise framing, not just shingles.
2. If a power line is involved, call CPS Energy first and stay clear. Nothing else happens until the line is safe.
3. Your insurance company’s claim line — tree impact often qualifies as a covered peril. Note the claim number.
4. A roofer, before a tree service if the tree is ON the roof. The order matters: a tree crew that drags a trunk off an unprotected roof can double the roof damage. Holmes coordinates with the tree service, tarps the opening once the tree is clear, and documents the damage for your adjuster.

We inspect impact damage for free and give you an insurance-ready inspection report your adjuster can work from.

Can I just patch a leak myself?

Small caulk-and-sealant fixes sometimes buy time, and we get why people try. Two honest cautions. First, the entry point is usually not where the water shows inside — homeowner patches often seal the wrong spot while water keeps traveling. Second, roofing cement smeared over shingles or flashing (the classic YouTube fix) traps water underneath, accelerates rot, and can complicate an insurance claim later because the adjuster can’t see the original damage. If you do anything yourself, keep it to photographing the damage and tarping over — and let the permanent fix be done right. An inspection from us costs nothing either way.

Why San Antonio homeowners call Holmes for leak repair

Holmes Roofing & Exterior Solutions is a GAF-certified crew based in Selma, rated 5.0 on Google. We repair the leak you have instead of defaulting to the biggest ticket — and when replacement genuinely is the cheaper long-term answer, we show you that math on paper. Because we handle roofing, storm and hail damage, and exterior work together, one crew fixes the leak and everything the leak touched. Storm damage documented in an insurance-ready inspection report, financing available for larger repairs, and every job starts with a free inspection.

Call (210) 440-1013 — Monday–Saturday, 9am–6pm — and tell us if water is actively coming in. Or request your free inspection online.