When you start dealing with a leaky roof, the first thing that must come into your mind is that you must call for professional help. Well, although you can call for a professional roofer, you can actually just do a quick fix of your roof depending on the weight of the repair that needs to be done. Sure a professional roofer is the best option, however, if the size of the leak is just small or something that is easy to fix, or when the roofer you contacted can’t immediately attend to your needs, there are quick ways to fix your roof by yourself.

If you found water stains that run across ceilings or down the walls, it is a sure sign of a leaky roof. Unfortunately, you are still left with the task of tracking down the leak which is actually the hard part most especially when you don’t have roof access. Once you have found where the leak is located, the roof repair is just pretty easy.

Here are 5 quick fixes that will surely help you in repairing a leaky roof.

1. Find the Roof Leak

First off, you need to find the leak. You can do this by looking at the roof uphill by following the stains. It is also important to look for roof penetrations since they are the most common source of leaks. These penetrations can include roof vents and plumbing, chimneys, dormers or others that project through the roof.

If you have roof access, the quickest way to track down the leak is by going up there to look for traces of the leak. There is a possibility of finding water stains, black marks or even molds.

2. Fix Plumbing Vent Boots

There are different kinds of plumbing vent boots. They can be made up of all plastic, plastic and metal, or even two-piece metal units. The first thing you need to do is check plastic bases for cracks and metal bases for broken seams then you can examine the rubber boot that surrounds the pipe. It is possible that it has rotted away which is why water has made its way into the house along the pipe. When you are faced with any of these problems, the next step is to buy a new vent boot to replace the old one. There is really no other fix than replacing the damaged vents.

3. Fix the Step Flashing

A step flashing is used along the walls that intersect with the roof. Each section channels water over the shingle. However, if the flashing is already rusted through or if a piece had already come loose, water will just run right behind it and into the building. Rusted flashing needs to be replaced — it entails removing the shingles and then removing and replacing the flashing.

4. Don’t Use Caulk or Roof Cement

While caulk can be used for covering very small holes and when flashing isn’t an option to stop the leak, it is not a solution that will hold for very long. What you should do is to instead attempt a mechanical roof fix whenever it is possible. It means that you have to replace or repair existing flashing instead of just using any kind of sealant to stop the leak.

5. Know Basic Emergency Roof Leak Repairs

When the leaky roof started due to continuous bad weather, it becomes impossible to have it repaired immediately. However, it is not advisable to leave the leaky roof unremedied. Thus, you need to know the following basic emergency roof leak repair:

• Using Plastic Tarp. If you already know where the leak is and you have a plastic tarp readily available, then this is a quick roof repair for you. All you need to do is to just spread the area over the leak and stretch the ends then secure with nails and add some cement to make them hold together.

• Make Shingles. If the cause of the leak is a missing shingle, you can remedy this by taking a sheet metal trimmed according to the size and shape of the shingle. Slide it in the row of shingles with the sheet’s bottom edge lining up with the bottom edges of the shingles on either side.

• Use Black Tar. When due to the wet weather you can’t possibly have your roof repaired immediately, the best solution is to use black tar and painting it on the leaking part. This works even in wet conditions.

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