When a roof is leaking, JJ Quality Builders PB it defies the primary purpose of why the roof was initially installed. Remember that a well-installed roof can also help to save on energy bills. This it does by keeping the house warm during cold weather and exchanging hot air for cold air during hot weather.
Besides an old and worn out roof, a leaking roof is one of the common problems of a roof. If your roof is leaking, it may be because your shingles are old and worn out. It may also be because one of your shingles is missing. A little crack in the shingles can also make your roof leak. Also, if fallen autumn leaves or any other debris blocked your gutter, rainwater or melted snow will not flow out. When this happens, the still water may start seeping into your roof.
When you notice a leak in your roof – probably when you see water maps on the ceiling or any other signs of leakage – the first thing that usually comes into the minds of some homeowners is to call a professional roofer. While it is probably the safest option, have you ever thought of adding “I repaired my roof” to your Do It Yourself (DIY) cv? It is not a difficult task at all. This article will explain a step by step approach of how to repair a leaking roof. Let’s get started.
How to repair a leaking roof
- Identify the leaking areas: but of course, before you start thinking of repairing your roof, you must identify the leaking area. You are advised to look for the leaking area because that part of your ceiling where you noticed a water map might not be the original leaking area. You can identify a leaking area by crawling through your attic during the day. If you find a spot where the sunlight passed through to your attic, then you know for sure where the original leaking area is. You can also climb up to your roof and check to see if your shingles are missing or cracked. You should also check to see if your roof’s flashing is damaged, if it is damaged, then it may cause your roof to leak.
- How to replace old or missing shingles: if an old or missing shingle is the cause of your leaking roof, I will tell you how to repair it in a second. To repair an old or missing shingle, you must, first of all, buy a matching shingle color. The truth is that it is not always easy to find shingles that match the shingles of an old roof. The reason for this is simple: that shingle pattern may have gone out of style. So don’t stress yourself if you don’t find new shingles that will match yours exactly. You can buy a shingle pattern or color that is closely related to yours. When you have purchased new shingles, climb up to your roof, it’s time for some actions.
Remove the old and worn out shingles with a ply bar. Be careful about the nails while you remove those shingles, you don’t want to take a tetanus shot because a rusted nail injured you. Next, scrape off the dry roofing cement that was on the nail. Use a sharp knife and cut the back corners of the new shingles to make it round. After you have done that, carefully place the new shingles into the hole and nail it – this part can also be done for missing shingles. When the nails have tightly fit in, smear them with a roofing cement to make the shingles stronger.
- How to seal a cracked shingle: if you discover that what is causing your roof to leak is a crack in your shingles, then you don’t need to replace the entire shingle. Here is what you should do instead. Apply sealant in a generous amount below the crack and press the shingle down. Reapply the sealant again and spread it on the shingles with a knife. If you like, you can disguise your job by sprinkling roof granules on the sealant. You can get roof granules in your roof gutter or the edges of your roof.
- How to reattach curled shingles: a shingle can be said to be curled if its edges start bending upwards. When this occurs, it leaves a space for water to seep into the house. You can repair this by simply uncurling the curled shingle and reattaching it back to its original place using a sealant.
In conclusion, if you go through this article, you will notice that the skill of repairing a leaking roof doesn’t need any specialized expertise. This is to say that you can simply Do It Yourself (DIY) without having to pay a roofer for it. You should try it out someday.
