Few things can cause as much consternation and damage as a leak in the
roof. Unless you want to hire a roofing company to come over and fix it
for you (which isn’t the worst idea in many circumstances), you’ll need
to know how to not only find the leak, but repair it yourself.
Thankfully, there are products on the market that can help you do just
that. The primary product you’ll be working with is a tri-polymer
sealant. This sealant will be used to patch up small holes that have
appeared overhead. If you have holes that are larger than this, you
should immediately contact a professional. Keep in mind that fixing a
leak in this manner is only a temporary solution.
Your first job will be to find the location of the leak. This is easier
said than done, many times. The best place to start is in the attic,
preferably when it is raining. Even then, finding the exact location of
the leak can be a tricky prospect. Because of beams, nails, and other
forms of interference, most leaks don’t result in water dripping
straight down from the hole. If you do happen to find the leak, however,
stick something through the hole so you don’t lose the location. Try to
pick something small, so you don’t wind up making the hole worse than
it was to begin with.
After you’ve pinpointed the location of the breach, get up on a ladder
and commence to performing your amateur roofing. Find the object you
slid through the hole and remove it. Get out your sealant and spread it
fully around the area of the hole, covering it thoroughly. Since it is a
runny substance, it will drip down into the hole. This is perfect and
exactly what you want. Most sealants of this type are clear, so you
don’t have to worry about matching it to anything. If you have anything
valuable underneath the hole (that you haven’t already removed due to
the water leak), you will want to get it out of the way before you begin
patching up the leak.
In this way, you can easily and quickly patch up any roofing leaks you
may have sprung. However, it is a good idea to call a professional at
some point in the future to get a good, permanent fix. You may also have
other parts of your material that are susceptible to leaking, so it is
best to get those looked at before any major problems arise.
