One of the toughest roofing problems to deal with is often one of the smallest. Even a small leak can cause massive problems if left unchecked over a long period of time and with so many possible causes its hard to predict when your roof may leak.
- Roof Age Roofing Material
- Trees or Branches Pests
- Climate
- Harsh weather
Are all possible causes when it comes to a roof leak. The reason for the leak is not as important as what to do to stop any further damage, you need to.
- Get to the leak
- Find the leak spot
- Stop the flow of water
Getting to the leak involves getting in your attic, and if you are like most people your attic is used for storage making a difficult to check every nook and cranny. Depending on how bad your leak is your ceiling may show signs of discoloration or even bulging which can be a sign of where the leak is above. If bulging is occurring draining is recommended immediately to reduce the spread around the rest of your ceiling.
Finding the leak point is often the most challenging part when it comes to patching a leak. Find the general area of your attic that seems to be effected by the leak, we recommend using a bright flashlight to better expose the color change. Trace any trails of water leading away from the effected area to find the leaks point of entry.
Once you’ve found your leak spot you need to stop the flow of water. First spread adhesive material across the leak spot and hold any piece of durable material like scrap wood onto the adhesive until it is secure. Second apply tar at the points where the patch material meets the roof to lock your patch material in. Finally take a mental note of the location of the leak to fix on the outside.
Before climbing up on your roof to cover the leak it is important to wait for the weather to clear up and your roof to dry, a wet and windy roof is a safety concern even for expert roof inspectors who do this on a daily basis. It is also important to always have a spotter when you are doing any kind of work on your roof.
You will need enough plastic tarping to cover the suspected leaking point as well as any neighboring eaves that could be effected. If you do not have enough tarps they can usually be purchased at your local hardware stores. Attach the ends of the necessary tarps to scrap wood or two by fours using staples or a nail gun to make a square panel large enough to cover the effected area. Drape one wood end over the ridge and down the eave cover the leak and diverting the water down your roof.
Call a roofing expert to inspect for any further exterior and interior damage.
