Who to call
1) A roof leak diagnostic / water intrusion testing specialist (best when the source is unclear)
Call a company that does water intrusion testing / leak diagnosis when:
- the stain is far from where the leak is entering
- the leak only happens during certain rain/wind conditions
- you’ve “patched” before and it keeps coming back
- it could be roof or stucco/windows/balcony/flashing/drainage
For your client: Exterior Systems Construction specifically promotes a professional water intrusion test that “pinpoints the source of the problem.”
2) A licensed roofing contractor (best when you already know it’s the roof)
Call a roofer when:
- you have visible damage (missing shingles/tiles, punctures, failed flashing)
- the leak is clearly tied to a roof feature (valley, vent pipe, skylight flashing)
- you want repair/replace quotes
3) Emergency water mitigation/restoration (only if there’s active interior water damage)
If water is actively coming in and soaking ceilings/walls/floors, a mitigation company can:
- extract water, set drying equipment, prevent secondary damage
(They may not always pinpoint the exterior entry point as precisely as a dedicated intrusion test.)
Quick rule of thumb
- Not sure where it’s entering? Call water intrusion testing / leak diagnosis first.
- Pretty sure it’s roof damage and you can see it? Call a roofer.
- Actively flooding inside? Call water mitigation immediately, then schedule diagnostics.