Why Is My New Roof Leaking? 7 Causes to Check
A new roof should never leak. When one does within its first year, the cause is almost always an installation error: bad flashing, misplaced nails, skipped underlayment steps, or a reused pipe boot. Material defects are rare. Your first move is to document the leak with photos and call the installer, since the workmanship warranty is what covers it.
Updated: October 2026
Should a new roof ever leak?
No. A roof installed within the last year should be at peak protection, and engineers who study these failures say the cause is almost never the material itself. It is a failure somewhere in the installation process. For the full list of leak sources on any roof, see our guide to why roofs leak and the 8 most common causes.
Texas heat bonds adhesive strips quickly, so “give it time to settle” is rarely a valid excuse. If your new roof leaks in Texas, start from the assumption that something was installed wrong.
What causes a leak in a new roof?
Seven causes explain nearly every new roof leak, and all but one are installation problems.
- Flashing installed wrong. Step flashing where the roof meets a wall, and the flashing around chimneys and vents, are the most common failure points on a new roof. If the flashing was secured poorly or cut wrong, water slips straight past the shingles. As one experienced roofer put it: “One leak? It’s leaking at a penetration point. Chimney, vent pipe, exhaust vent, something along those lines.”
- Nailing errors. Every shingle has a printed nailing strip, a narrow band where nails must land so the course above covers them. Nails driven too high miss the shingle below, too low sit exposed, and over-driven nails crack the mat. Each mistake leaves a nail shank that water can wick into the deck.
- Underlayment and drip edge in the wrong order. Underlayment is a system of overlapping layers. If the drip edge goes over the ice and water shield at the eave, runoff can be diverted behind the metal and into the fascia board. Sequencing mistakes trap water instead of shedding it.
- The pipe boot shortcut. Plumbing vent boots are a favorite shortcut. Some crews rely on the boot alone and skip the extra flashing around its base. In Texas heat, cheap boots crack early, so a new roof can leak at a vent within a couple of years. See our guide to roof vent pipe boot leaks.
- The pitch is too shallow for the material. Asphalt shingles need a minimum slope of about 2:12 to shed water. Below that slope, water pools and soaks through the shingles and underlayment.
- Damage by other trades. A new roof is vulnerable to everyone who walks on it afterward. An HVAC technician servicing a unit, or a satellite installer forcing in a mount, can crack shingles or puncture the membrane. The leak shows up weeks later and looks like a roofing defect.
- A storm hit before the seal strips cured. Fresh shingles need a few days for adhesive strips to bond, longer in cool weather. A strong wind event in that window can lift courses that were never sealed. Texas heat speeds curing, but a tropical storm in the first days after install can still break fresh seals.
Could the leak be coming from somewhere else?
Sometimes the “leak” is not a roof failure at all. Warm, moist air from the house can escape into the attic and condense on the underside of the deck. It drips down and looks exactly like a roof leak. See our guide on attic condensation vs a real roof leak.
Clogged gutters are another lookalike. When gutters back up, water pushes under the lowest shingle course and into the walls. If the leak started after leaves filled the gutters, the roof itself may be fine.
Who is responsible for fixing a new roof leak?
Mixing up who pays costs homeowners money. The contractor’s workmanship warranty covers installation errors, usually for one to ten years. The manufacturer’s material warranty covers defects in the shingles themselves, usually for twenty to fifty years, but it does not cover bad flashing or bad nailing. Your homeowners insurance covers sudden storm damage only.
| Leak cause | Who pays | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| A workmanship error, like bad flashing or misplaced nails | The installer, under the workmanship warranty | Put the repair request in writing |
| A genuine material defect, which is rare | The manufacturer, under the material warranty | Your installer should file the material claim for you |
| Storm damage in the first days after install | Your homeowners insurance | Check the filing deadline in your policy |
The key point: a leak in year one is almost always a workmanship claim, not a manufacturer claim. Start with the installer. A Texas contractor’s take matches: contact the company that installed the roof first, because reputable installers carry a warranty system that covers exactly this.
What should I do first when my new roof leaks?
- Take dated photos of every stain, drip, and bulge inside, plus the roof from the ground if you can do it safely.
- Contain the water with a bucket and move valuables out of the way. Do not climb onto the roof yourself.
- Contact the original installer in writing, by email or text, and give a clear deadline for a visit.
- Do not let another roofer tear into the roof first. A second contractor’s repairs can complicate your workmanship warranty claim.
- If the installer will not respond, get an independent inspection in writing and send a formal demand. If you need a second opinion from an independent roofing provider in Texas City, call (409) 290-5353 and we will connect you with one.
Frequently asked questions about new roof leaks
Is it normal for a new roof to leak a little at first?
No. A new roof should shed water from day one. Texas heat seals adhesive strips fast, so a leak in the first weeks points to an installation error. The only gray area is a major storm in the first days after install, before the strips fully bond. In that case the storm, not the installer, is the cause.
Will the manufacturer’s shingle warranty cover my new roof leak?
Only if the leak comes from a genuine material defect, which is rare. Material warranties do not cover installation mistakes like bad flashing or misplaced nails. A first-year leak is almost always a workmanship issue, so the contractor’s warranty is the one that applies.
What if my roofer will not come back to fix the leak?
Document everything in writing: dated photos, the contract, and every call or message. Get an independent inspection report describing the defect. Send a formal written demand with a deadline. If the company still does not respond, Texas consumer-protection options are your next step.
Can I file an insurance claim for a leak in a new roof?
Only when the cause is a covered peril like hail or wind, not poor workmanship. If a storm damaged the roof within days of installation, insurance may apply. If the leak is from bad flashing or bad nailing, it is the installer’s responsibility and insurance will not cover it.