Use this guide to learn how to find and fix a roof leak.
Start by heading up to the roof to perform a quick visual inspection.
Flashing under the guttersand alongdormer windowscan be a point of entry for a leak.
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Additionally, roof valleys and roofing sections where debris tends to collect are prone to roof leaks.
It may take several minutes to over an hour for any signs to appear.
Have the helper yell when a drip becomes visible to indicate that you are close to the leak.
To avoid this, take a few precautions before and during the repair.
A second person should hold the ladder in place when it is in use.
This makes it easy to communicate and watch for any problems.
Reattach Curled Shingles
One of the simple fixes is reattaching curled shingles.
Use a blow dryer if the shingles are too stiff to move.
Then, smooth out the curled shingles and apply roof sealant under the raised edges using acaulking gun.
Press the shingle down firmly and apply roof cement to the edges of the shingle with a trowel.
Usually, clean cracks can be fixed without needing to replace the shingle.
Next, apply a second bead of sealant over the crack.
Then, spread the sealant with a putty knife to seal both edges of the crack.
you’ve got the option to use a small handful of loose asphalt granules to disguise this repair.
Lift the front edge of the damaged shingle.
Then, slide a pry bar under the shingle and carefully pry the shingle up to loosen the nails.
Remove the nails with the pry bar or a hammer, including the nails from the shingle above.
Slide the damaged shingle out.
Scrape the area to remove any leftover roofing cement and slide the new shingle into place.
Secure the new shingle with roofing nails and replace the nails that were removed from the above shingle.
Remove the shingles with a pry bar to pull up the roof paper and roof deck.
Cut out the damaged section of the roof deck with a circular saw.
Pry out any nails with a hammer or pry bar and remove the damaged section of roof deck.
Use this piece of plywood as a template to measure and cut the roof deck patch.
Place the roof deck patch in position and secure it with roofing nails.
Lay down new roofing paper and install replacement shingles starting from the bottom-most row of the affected area.
Leaf the new shingles into the existing shingles from left to right to maintain the established rows.
Nail down the shingles and apply roof sealant to prevent leaks.
Finish the repair by adding a bead of roofing cement along the bottom and edges of the shingles.
Fixing gaps is relatively straightforward.
Start by scraping away old sealant and cleaning any debris around the area.
Next, use a thin, flexible putty knife to fill small cracks with roof cement.
Keep in mind that any gaps wider than 1/4 inch cannot be fixed with this method.
Reattach Loose Flashing
If the flashing comes loose, water may seep into the home.
The good news is that reattaching loose flashing is relatively simple.
Apply a bead of roofing cement under the flashing and press it down firmly into place.
Check to see if any nails are loose or missing.
Replace loose or missing nails, and then seal the nails with roof sealant to prevent leaks.
Use a pry bar to pry off the damaged flashing carefully.
Scrape away old roof sealant and cement with a chisel or putty knife.
Ideally, flashing should overlap the joint by about 4 inches on each side.
Apply strips of ice and water shield to the joint before laying down the flashing.
Wrap the flashing around the joint and nail it in place.
Seal the flashing with roofing cement to prevent water from leaking into the home.
If a damaged vent is the source of the leak, the DIYer should remove and replace the vent.
Use a pry bar or hammer to pull out any nails that secure the vent.
Then, use the pry bar to lift and pull back any shingles covering the base of the vent.
Have a second person hold the shingles out of the way while the DIYer removes the damaged vent.
Scrape away roofing cement, sealant, or any other debris to prepare the area.
Apply a bead of roofing cement or roof sealant to the vent flashing.
Slide the new vent into position and press down firmly to ensure there are no gaps in the sealant.
Nail down the vent at all corners and every 4 inches along each side.
Apply roof sealant or cement to the nails and edges of the vent.
Make repairs as soon as you notice the damage to it from worsening.
