Over time some roofs develop leaks from missing, curled or damaged shingles, or blistered and cracked areas on a flat roof. We know that sometimes finding the right contractor for the job with the ability to do it promptly isn't always the easiest task. That's why Magic City Construction wants to share some easy tips and tricks to temporarily fix your roof leak.
The first thing you want to do is locate the leak in you attic while it is raining. Check for mold, water stains, wet insulation and standing water spots. Examine the under side of the roof until you locate the point of penetration. Note that sometimes leaks will drain sideways off rafters before leaking through the ceiling. Once you have located the point of penetration, you can take measurements to help locate the roof damage externally which is especially helpful for less obvious damage.
Now that you have located the leak, it's time to control the damage. The best way to do this is to drill a hole through the point of penetration so as to make a controlled area for the water to flow through. Then take a string and tack it to the newly drilled hole and place the other end in the bucket. The water flow should follow the string into the bucket creating a temporary containment of the leak.
Once you have contained the leak, now try and located it externally. You should never walk around on a wet roof, so if it recently rained wait until your roof is dry. When the roof is dry, try and locate the point of penetration using the measurements you took from inside the attic earlier. Additionally, try and spot leaves and other debris that may be holding water in certain areas. Snow commonly creates ice dams on roofs and causes water to back up. If you find any debris try and safely remove them from the roof.
If the area of penetration is near a chimney or other roof penetration, examine that area for corrosion or open joints. Also if you see an area covered with black flashing cement, this is probably an area of a previous repair. If you cannot find any of these symptoms, then look for missing or damage shingles.
Once you have contained the leak, now try and located it externally. You should never walk around on a wet roof, so if it recently rained wait until your roof is dry. When the roof is dry, try and locate the point of penetration using the measurements you took from inside the attic earlier. Additionally, try and spot leaves and other debris that may be holding water in certain areas. Snow commonly creates ice dams on roofs and causes water to back up. If you find any debris try and safely remove them from the roof.
If the area of penetration is near a chimney or other roof penetration, examine that area for corrosion or open joints. Also if you see an area covered with black flashing cement, this is probably an area of a previous repair. If you cannot find any of these symptoms, then look for missing or damage shingles.
Once you have located the leak, apply black flashing cement with a putty knife to the effected area. This should temporarily solve your leak issue until you can find an experienced contract to apply a permanent fix.
