It’s pretty obvious to tell when your roof is leaking. I mean, it will leak! And you will see the water spots on the ceiling, although it could be harder to identify the exact cause of the leak at times.
A leaking roof is a serious problem that can cause damage to the whole house. It starts small and then escalates to a pretty major disaster causing your furniture to become damaged, your floors, your ceiling, and many other things. Roof leak detection and repair are vital to ensuring that your home stays dry and safe.
The main roof leak detection signs are:
- Missing shingles
- Water spots on your ceiling and walls
- Damaged and cracked shingles
- Missing and damaged boot covers or flashing and roof penetrations
- Wet roof decking and water spots
Roof leak repair
The only roof leakage solution is repairs. If you do not repair a leaking roof, you may end up replacing the whole roof altogether. However, this is a lot of work, and you may need to hire a roof repair company to handle this for you.
You can still try it on your own through a DIY project.
Tools needed:
- A hammer
- A flat pry bar
- A utility knife.
- A hook blade cutter
- A flashlight
- A chalk line
- A caulking gun
- A tape measure
- A circular saw
- Some personal protection devices
- A pencil
Materials needed;
- Synthetic underlayment or roofing paper
- Composite shingles
- 8d common nails.
- Roof vent.
- Exterior sealant or roofing cement
- Plywood or OSB board
Roof leak repair procedure
Start by locating the roof leak
Identify the leak by starting at the lower part of the roof and then work upward to identify any other areas in the leaking roof.
Examine your roof vents
Next, if the leak comes from the vents, go back to the top of the roof and then check the condition of your vents.
Remove the damage
You should then remove the damaged part of the vent. To start, use the pry bar to pull out the nails that are holding the shingles onto the vent, and then use the bar to pull the shingles that are covering the vent back.
Replace the vent
In this step of roof leak repair, you will need to apply a thick bead of the cement or the sealant at the bottom of the flashing.
You should have someone else with you to help in rolling gently to separate the shingles and slide the vent back in.
Tearing off the shingles
The roof leak could be coming from the damage to the roof deck, and hence, you will have to remove the shingles to gain access to this damaged portion.
Start by removing the old roofing paper and marking the leaking area. You will then be required to remove and cut away the damaged roof deck and take it off completely
Next, cut a new patch that should be attached to the cut part. Attach the lay paper to the underlayment, and run the first row of the new shingles. Complete the shingles, and your roof will be repaired.