Patching A Small Roof Leak

Roof leaks must be repaired from the outside to ensure the problem is corrected.

Patching a small roof leak.

Once you ve found the leak you can make a temporary leak patch from some plywood or shingle and some roofing tar. However when it is not practical to climb up on the roof to fix a leak such as during the winter months you can repair a leaky roof temporarily from the inside if you can determine where the leak is occuring from the underside of your roof. Even over a short time small leaks can lead to big problems such as mold rotted framing and sheathing destroyed insulation and damaged ceilings. If you have a leaky roof you d better fix it immediately even if it doesn t bother you much or you re getting a new roof next year.

Place the shingle or plywood onto the tar and spread more of the tar around the edges of your patch. The national average roof repair cost is 893 with most homeowners spending between 354 and 1 445 most common small roof repairs cost between 150 and 400 labor runs around 45 to 75 per hour. For small gaps at the metal or rubber collar of an exposed pipe or vent. Make a temporary leak patch.

Use a putty knife to spread the tar into the leaking hole on the inside of your roof. Assessing a roof leak. Small nail holes left behind from old vents satellite dish brackets or anything previously attached to the roof can allow water to enter and cause damage for years before leaking is noticed. Use a thin flexible putty knife to apply roof cement to small cracks in the sealant around chimneys pipes or other joined surfaces.

Patch the nail or screw holes by slipping a piece of roof flashing underneath the shingle. Roofing professionals should handle any large or complicated jobs.