Leaky roofs cause water wastage of nearly 1 trillion gallons nationwide annually. Therefore, fixing those leaks can help you save household water and money.
The hardest thing with repairing a leaky roof is finding the specific place that is causing leakage. However, you don’t need to involve a professional, especially when your roof still has a long way to go before replacing it. Here are simple DIY tips to get you started with those repairs.
Find the Leak
The first step towards repairing a leak is to ensure you can spot where it is. This might be a little difficult, especially when you are doing it alone. Have someone stay in the house as you go on the roof with a garden hose.
Start soaking the areas you suspect while the other person is in the house watching for the drip to appear. This process might take long before you identify the exact location. So, take your time. Also, avoid moving the hose faster to avoid missing the spot when you were too close.
The common spots to consider first are areas around the chimney or vents. Also, places where the shingles overlap or with missing shingles can be perfect spots for leakages.
If you are unable to spot the specific location, remove shingles around the areas you suspect. This way, you will notice rotten wood, discolored felt paper, or water stained around or below a leaky roof.
Replace Broken or Missing Shingles
During your inspection, it is possible to spot missing or broken shingles. This might be the root problem of your leakage, and the best solution is to replace that.
Get to the nearby hardware and buy a matching shingle to replace the broken one. Carefully lift the edges of the broken piece with a spry bar to remove it. With a hammer, remove the nails from the four corners of the shingle and then slide it out gently.
In case there is leftover roofing cement, scrap them off to ensure the place is open and clean. If possible, you can clean that area with a blow dryer for easy installation of a new shingle.
Once you successfully remove the broken shingle, slide the new one in gently. Then apply roof cement using a trowel over the edges of the new shingle and nail heads.
Fixing Complex Roof Problems
If you are facing a complex issue, it is not time to panic and wander around. If possible, contact a top rated roofing contractor around your area to sort you out. However, if it takes time to access the contractors, try and examine the problem to be fixed.
During snowy winter and summer storms, fixing roof leaks can be a little complex. Therefore, the first step is to identify where there is an opening on your roof. Once you identify, begin an excellent flashing to stop ice dams and rainfall leaks.
Fix Your Leaky Roof Today
Fixing a leaky roof can be quite complex, especially if you don’t have the right tools. Therefore, before getting to the roof, ensure you have everything ready to make the work easier.
Continue reading our blog for more tips.