Roof leaks often take months or even years to slowly seep in. First they rot the wood in the immediate vicinity of the roof, in the attic, and then the water may eventually find its way all of the way into the interior of the house in heavy rain conditions. Roof leaks are often detected long after they began, and may not be close to the area of initial water penetration due to the way water runs and travels along the various surfaces in the attic, walls and ceilings of the house.