Whether you have a leaking roof or a part of your roof is damaged, it is advised to take action as soon as possible in solving the issue before it escalates and the problem becomes harder to deal with and gets to the point where you need to replace your old roof with a brand new one.
To avoid any unwanted outcomes and to help you make the right decision, we have prepared a guide for exploring the issues and tips on how to deal with these unfortunate problems and what are the most common complications people experience. Sometimes the best choice is to pick a best roofing contractors.
How to find what the problem is?
Some roof leaks take only a few minutes to fix while others need more time and even professional help is necessary. Even if you plan to replace your roof in the near future, these leaks can certainly make a lot of trouble not just for your roof, but for other parts of your house as well. Over a short period of time, it can cause a lot of damage to your ceiling and house installation.
The first thing we need to do is to find these leaks and, depending on their complexity, take action in patching them. Leaks are usually caused by items that penetrate the roof, for example, roof vents, chimneys, dormers or other things that go through the roof to your house. To locate the leaks we need to go to the attic and look for moisture strains and black marks on the ceiling. Not every house has access to the attic, so if that is the case, we then need to go and find a way to climb onto the roof and examine the leaks and damages from there.
Operating on the problem
Start removing shingles from the roof in the suspicious areas. Once they are removed, the evidence of roof leaks should be displayed under the shingles. Some leaks are more difficult to find so we need a help from a family member or a friend and few additional gadgets to make our search easier. Take the garden hose and hook it to a faucet. Before starting the water, have your friend or family member stay and wait below the leaking ceiling. Once you have climbed on the roof, use the garden hose to insert water in the chimney, upside down and on the sides. After a few minutes, the leaks should be displayed on the ceiling and we can later take action in solving the issue.
Stopping the leak depends on its complexity. We can usually only temporary fix the leak, so these tips aren’t a permanent solution, and the repair always depends on the material the roof is made of. Here are some things that you can do to stop leaks and repair roof parts.
Temporary solution
We can use polyethylene sheeting, unroll it to cover the leaking part of the roof, add few extra feet around the leak, and cut it with a utility knife. After that, we will need 3 more layers, and after adding them we need to wrap the second layer around the fourth layer. Once that is done knock the four nails in the corners and we are good to go. This will protect your roof from leaks but it is advised to call professional help in order to completely fix this issue. We can also use another polyethylene layer on top of the already placed one so we can be certain that the wind doesn’t blow it away. Read more about it here.
Roof shingles are also often the cause when we have a roof malfunction. They are easy to find and can be fixed with less time needed than the leaks. When a shingle is unstable first we need to take 6 nails and knock 3 nails on every side of the shingle. Be careful while doing so, because the roof can be unstable and you can hurt yourself. When the nails are knocked make sure that the shingle is as close as the first one so you don’t waste roof space.
Bad weather conditions and rainy days can certainly damage your roof. The solution for this is good flushing. What you can do to prevent damage of your roof and attic is to firstly find an adhesive ice and water barrier, which can be found in any store with roof gadgets, and after removing the shingles, place the barrier under the shingles. This will help you have a more stable roof and will stop potential leeks.