How to Fix a Leaking Roof from Inside
Your roof is designed to shield you and your family from bad weather. However, age, the elements as well as wear and tear can destroy your roof which can result into water seeping inside your house. If your roof springs a leak, Durafoam Roofing, Inc. highly suggests you should act quickly otherwise if left unattended, a leaking roof can result in serious water damage which can destroy your home’s structure. Unless the damage caused by the leak roof is severe, you can follow these steps outlined below to learn how to fix a leaking roof from inside.
1. Enter into The Attic
To fix your leaky roof, look for the attic of your house and enter inside. Clear insulation from the wet ceiling wall and dry off any standing water. To do this, you can put a small piece of plywood across the joists of your ceiling and then place a bucket on it to catch the water.
2. Locate the Leak
Find the leak by following the position at which it enters your roof. At times, it can be quite a distance from the spot where it is dripping onto your ceiling. You can certainly trace the path along a beam, but at times water can follow the base of the roof deck.
3. Make a Transient Patch
The next step is to make a transitory leak patch using roofing tar and plywood or a piece of shingle. Apply the roofing tar onto the leak on the base of your roof deck, utilizing a putty knife. Press the plywood or piece of shingle on the roofing tar and add more tar round all the edges of the leak patch.
4. Measure the Leak’s Distance
While you are still at the attic, measure the distance of the roof leak from the ridge and the gable as well. By doing this, you will be able to trace the leak once the rains are over. Once the rains let up, you can go back to your roof and measure similar dimensions, and then fortify the base of the shingles surrounding the leak with more tar.
Locating the Roof Leak
Water leaks mostly appear far from the point of origin. That is because water typically works its way all through the tiers of the roofing materials and downwards through joists, then assembles in a pool in your attic or other parts of your home. Often, roof leaks start at the most vulnerable places such as damaged flashings and shingles.
1. Examine Your Roof from The Inside
GAF, a roofing manufacturer suggests using a flashlight to inspect the rafters and beams of your attic. Check for any soft spots, wet wood, water stains, or any dampness that may point out to a leak. If you locate the leak, mark the area using a piece of chalk to help you find it more easily when you get back. Next, push a wire through the roof leak and out through your roof.
2. Examine Your Roof from Outside
While on the roof, look for the wire you poked through your ceiling from inside. Inspect the roof structure near that spot for any traces of missing or broken shingles, loose nails, or wear and tear. Once you locate the leak, then you can make the necessary repairs.
If the roof leak is severe, then the above steps will help you avoid further damage to your house until a roofing contractor professional arrives
