Orlando's wet season runs through the summer, and its heaviest rain often arrives in short, intense storms. Roof leaks usually start at flashings, penetrations and worn seals, and they can appear in a ceiling days after a storm. This guide sets out the seasons, what to check and how to limit the damage.
Key takeaways
- The wet season has a median start of May 27 and a median dry-season start of October 15, so June through September is its core.
- Roof leaks often start at flashings, pipe boots, vents and worn seals, not in the middle of an open roof plane.
- Ceiling stains can appear days after a storm, once water has soaked the insulation and drained slowly into the drywall.
- The official hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so the roof and gutters should be checked before June and again after each storm.
- Do not climb onto a wet or windy roof. Protect the inside of the house and call for roof work once the storm has passed.
When does the wet season actually run?
Orlando's wet season has a median start around May 27 and a median end near October 15, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne. Rain is heaviest from June through September, which is when storm damage is most likely.
The National Weather Service's Melbourne office studied the start and end dates of the wet and dry seasons for the area. It gives the median start of the wet season for Orlando as May 27, and the median start of the dry season as October 15. Medians are averages across many years, so any single season can start earlier or later, and a dry spring does not guarantee a dry summer.
The 1981 to 2010 normals show the monthly pattern in more detail, as the table below sets out. June, July, August and September each average more than six inches, and the full year averages about 50.7 inches. Those are long-term averages, and a single month can run well above or below them, which is why the roof should be checked every year rather than only when rain is already falling.
The wet season also overlaps the hurricane season. The official hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so a roof that is ready in June is in a better position than one that is inspected in the middle of a storm.
| Month | Average rainfall |
|---|---|
| June | 7.6 |
| July | 7.3 |
| August | 7.1 |
| September | 6.1 |
| Full year | 50.7 |
Where do roof leaks start?
Most roof leaks start where the roof is broken or interrupted: flashings around chimneys and walls, pipe boots, vent penetrations, valleys and ridge caps. Wind-driven rain finds those gaps first, so the storm that exposes a weak point is often the one that leaks.
The most common leak points are where something passes through the roof or where two roof planes meet. Flashing around a chimney or wall, the rubber boots around vent pipes and the valleys where two slopes drain together all rely on seals that age. A seal that is cracked or lifted can hold for years and then fail in the first hard rain.
Wind matters too. Rain driven sideways by a storm can get under a lifted shingle edge or past a damaged ridge cap, when the same rain falling straight down would not. A roof that looks sound from the ground may have lost granules or lifted tabs that only a close look will show, and a roofer inspecting the roof after a large storm is the most dependable check.
Gutters and downspouts can contribute to leaks at the eave and fascia when they are blocked. Water that cannot leave the gutter runs back under the edge of the roof, into the soffit and then into the attic.
Why do ceiling stains show up days later?
Water in a roof travels along the framing and into insulation before it shows on a ceiling. A stain can appear several days after the rain stops, as the insulation drains and the drywall takes up what is left.
Attic insulation holds a lot of water. Once a leak soaks the insulation, the water spreads sideways along the top of the ceiling below and shows only as a stain where it finally drops through the drywall. That is why a ceiling can look fine on the night of a storm and show a brown ring a week later.
Staining is a warning, not a diagnosis. The water may have come from one leak point but have traveled several feet before it reached the ceiling. An attic check, with a light and a look at the decking and insulation directly above the stain, is how the entry point is found. Photograph the stain with a ruler or a coin in the frame for scale.
Once water reaches a ceiling, the drywall may sag or soften. Do not push on a sagging ceiling or drain it through a hole before checking the wiring above it. Water near a fixture is an electrical question, so switch off the power to that light or fan before touching anything. The ceiling water damage repair service covers the drywall side of the job.
How do you protect the house before the next storm?
Before the season starts, check the flashings, boots, gutters and attic for signs of earlier leaks, and clear the drains. A few hours of checking before June prevents many of the calls that come after a storm.
Look at the roof from the ground with binoculars, and walk the attic on a dry day. Look for dark staining on the decking, damp insulation and light showing through gaps. Check the vent boots for cracks and the flashings around chimneys and walls for lifted edges or failed sealant.
Clear gutters and downspouts, and make sure water leaves each downspout and runs away from the foundation. A downspout that empties against the wall can soak the soil beside the slab and drive water in at the edge. Trim overhanging branches that could drop debris onto the roof during a storm.
Record the roof's age and the date of its last repair, and keep that note with your insurance papers. A roof that has been checked and documented is easier to discuss with an insurer than one whose history is unknown. The water damage insurance claims guide describes the usual questions an insurer asks.
What should you do during a storm?
Stay off a wet or windy roof, move valuables away from leaking ceilings and place buckets or sheeting where water is falling. Keep people safe first, and document the damage once the storm has passed.
Do not climb onto a wet roof, and do not go into the attic during a storm if water is pouring in or a ceiling is sagging. Protect furniture and electronics under a leak with plastic sheeting, and set a bucket on a towel to limit splash. These are temporary measures that buy time without asking anyone to take a risk.
If water is coming through a light fixture or near an outlet, switch off the power at the breaker if it is safe to reach, and keep clear of the area. Water and electricity are the most dangerous combination in a storm, so protect people in the house before protecting property.
When the rain stops, photograph the damage before anything is cleaned or removed, and then call for help. A technician can extract standing water, take readings and set out a drying plan, and a roofer can make the roof watertight once it is safe to be on it. Those are separate calls, and they are best planned together. Call (833) 490-5225 to start the drying side.
Roof repair and drying: who does what?
Roof repair is a roofing job, and drying the house is a restoration job. The roof can be made watertight while drying is still running, and the two should be coordinated so that a roofer does not seal wet materials inside.
A roofer repairs the roof covering, flashings and penetrations and is responsible for making the building watertight. A water restoration technician removes the water inside, measures the moisture and dries the framing, insulation and drywall. The two jobs meet at the ceiling and the attic, so they should be able to talk to each other.
Permanent roof repairs are construction work. A roofing contractor should hold the license the job requires under Florida's contractor rules, and many re-roofing or structural repairs need a permit from the local building office. Ask who is pulling the permit, and check the roofer's name on the state search before work starts.
Drying should begin before the roof is repaired if the house is still taking water, and the roof should be watertight before the drying is declared finished. Ask both firms to agree the sequence in writing, so that the drying readings are not undone by rain coming in the next afternoon.
What should go in the storm file?
Keep dated photos, the roof history, the drying log, the roofer's report, the permit and every invoice. A storm file helps with the insurer, the repair and any later sale.
Start with photos from outside, of the roof, gutters and ground, and from inside, of the ceiling and attic, all dated. Keep a log of the first call, the names of the people you spoke to and the dates. Those notes set the timeline when the storm and the leak are discussed later.
Keep the roofer's inspection report, the repair invoice and any permit and inspection record. Keep the drying plan, the readings and the final report from the restoration firm. Together those documents show what was damaged, what was done and when the house was made watertight again.
Last, update the file with the roof's age and the date of its repair, so the next storm starts from a known position. A homeowner who keeps a file for each storm is ready for the next one, whatever the season brings.
What does a roof check look like on a dry day?
A dry-day check is a planned walk, not a climb in a storm. Use a ladder only if it is safe, check flashings and seals from the ground where possible, and inspect the attic for signs of old water before the wet season begins.
Start from the ground with binoculars and a camera. Look for lifted edges, missing or cracked shingle tabs, bare patches, flashings that have pulled away from walls and rubber boots that have split. Photograph anything that looks different from the last check, so the next check can be compared with the same pictures.
Walk the attic with a light. Look at the underside of the decking around each vent pipe, chimney, valley and roof-to-wall joint. Dark rings, soft or stained sheathing and damp insulation are the signs of past leaks. A dry attic on a dry day is a useful baseline, and a stain found later can be measured against it.
If anything needs a roofer, book the repair before the rainy season peaks. A leak fixed in spring is usually simpler than one found in the middle of a storm, because it avoids the extra drywall, insulation and drying that water in the ceiling brings with it.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my ceiling stain show up a week after the storm?
Water can soak the insulation in the attic and travel along the framing before it drops through the drywall. Check the attic above the stain and take photos.
Can I patch the roof myself after a storm?
Temporary covering can limit further water entry when it is safe to do so. Permanent repair is a roofing job, and the roofer should hold the license the work requires.
Should I check the roof before the wet season?
Yes. The wet season generally starts around late May in Orlando, so an inspection in spring leaves time for repairs before the heaviest rain.
Is hurricane season the same as the rainy season?
They overlap but are not the same. Rain falls through the summer, and the official hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so the roof should be ready before June.
What if the storm damage is in the drywall but the roof looks fine?
Water can enter at a point that is hard to see from the ground. A roofer and a restoration technician should inspect both, and the attic is often where the answer is found.
Sources
- National Weather Service Melbourne: monthly climate normals
- National Weather Service Melbourne: wet and dry season study
This guide is general information for Orange County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.