The rainy season sets in and there is a general feeling of joy in the air; fresh green trees and plants. But there comes a dripping sound or you see a water stain and your heart sinks to the bottom. Another roof leak!
It is common that a roof develops leaks and that is usually long before the whole roof needs repairing. You do not have to call a repairer right away; minor leaks can be fixed on your own and that's what we are going to tell you in this article. And a minor leak does not mean that it can be ignored; every roof leak needs to be fixed immediately or it can lead to problems like mold, damaged insulation, rotted framing and destroyed ceiling.
Finding the exact location of a roof leak is the toughest part. You can guess a leak from a water stain on the ceiling or running down the wall. Remove the shingles from the suspected area and check in the roofing material for any probable damage because sometimes the leaks are a good distance away from the actual damage.
Sometimes the leak is also due to a curled shingle, so straighten any curved shingles you find by using heat such as from a hair dryer. Re-attach the straightened shingles with roof cement. Check for the shingles that come off easily when lifted. Fix them with compound or replace them entirely.
For inspecting a roof leak in connections, check for spaces between the connections. If you find the chaulking to be damaged, reapply it. Make sure to remove the damaged chaulking first with a putty knife so that the area is clean to work on.
For damaged shakes, first split them with a hammer and a chisel by sliding the chisel under the damaged shake. Take out the nails or work around them to not damage a good shake. Cut the new shake to be slightly smaller than the old one and replace it back, fixing in place with nails. Seal the shake with chaulking compound to make it permanent.
For roll roofing, you will find blisters or cracks in the roofing material. To mend these blisters, cut the damaged area carefully using a utility knife and dry the area. Spread roofing cement in the split roll and put it in place by pressing down. For best results, drive one or two nails in the blister you just repaired and then coat the entire repaired, and a little bit of surrounding area with the roofing cement.
Fixing a roof yourself is easy; you only need to know these simple steps – and it is completely satisfying. Last but not the least; take precautionary measures before you set out on repairing a roof leak yourself. Avoid working on a wet roof; choose a sunny day to repair. Wear rubber sole shoes and a ladder framework for secure anchoring and take adequate measures for your safety.