Guides
Roof Leaking? What Melbourne Homeowners Should Do Right Now
By the IronPeak Roofing team · 6 July 2026 · 5 min read
Water coming through the ceiling is stressful, but most roof leaks look worse than they are — and the damage is driven by how long the water runs, not how dramatic the drip looks. Here is exactly what to do in the first hour, what usually causes leaks on Melbourne roofs, and how the repair process works.
If your roof is leaking right now, call us on 0422 241 368. Active leaks and storm damage are prioritised same-week across Greater Melbourne, and inspection is free.
First hour: limit the damage
- Contain the water — buckets and towels under the drip, and move furniture, rugs and electronics clear.
- Pierce a ceiling bulge — if paint is ballooning with water, a small screwdriver hole into a bucket releases it in a controlled spot instead of collapsing a section of plasterboard later.
- Kill power to affected circuits if water is anywhere near light fittings — at the switchboard, not the switch.
- Photograph everything — the drip, the ceiling stain, the weather. If you claim on insurance, dated photos matter.
- Do not get on the roof — wet tiles and metal are genuinely dangerous, and walking on tiles wrong causes more leaks. Leave the roof to people with harnesses and edge protection.
What actually causes most Melbourne roof leaks
After nearly two decades on Victorian roofs, the same handful of culprits come up again and again — and none of them mean your whole roof has failed.
- Cracked or slipped tiles — a single broken tile funnels a surprising amount of water. Cheap to fix once found.
- Failed bedding and pointing — crumbled ridge-cap mortar lets wind-driven rain straight in. This is the most common cause on tiled roofs over 20 years old.
- Rusted valley irons — valleys carry the most water on the roof; when they perforate, water tracks under the tiles either side.
- Failed flashings — around chimneys, skylights and walls, old lead or sealant lets go long before the roof does.
- Blocked or badly pitched gutters — water that cannot get away backs up under the eaves and presents exactly like a roof leak.
How the repair usually runs
We inspect the roof (free), photograph the cause, and give you a fixed written price for the repair. Small repairs — replacing broken tiles, resealing a flashing — are quick, single-visit jobs. Where the cause is systemic, like failed bedding along every ridge or a rusted-through valley, we quote the proper fix: rebedding and repointing typically runs $2,500–$5,500 for a full roof, and valley replacement is usually a one-to-two-day job per valley.
What we will not do is silicone over a symptom and call it fixed. Sealant smeared across failed pointing is the roofing equivalent of tape over a warning light — it is why we back repairs with our written workmanship warranty instead.
Will insurance cover it?
Storm damage — tiles smashed by hail, ridge caps lifted by wind, a branch through the roof — is generally claimable on home insurance; gradual wear like decades-old pointing generally is not. We cannot make that call for your policy, but our inspection reports are photo-documented and itemised, which is exactly what assessors ask for. South Morang, Epping and other exposed northern suburbs keep us busy after every big front.