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How to Find a Leak in a Roof – Be prepared for roof damage
When water is flooding in, you can’t wait for a pro
Minor roof damage can lead to major water damage inside your home. But if you keep a few simple materials on hand, you can seal most roof injuries in just a few minutes.
First aid kit for your roof
A 9 x 12-ft. tarp is big enough to cover a large area but small enough for one person to manage. If you have a large roof, keep two or three of them on hand. A 14-in. x 10-ft. roll of aluminum flashing is perfect for small holes.
Roofs are dangerous!
Emergency roof repairs often mean walking on a wet roof and wrestling with tarps, which can catch the wind like a sail. We strongly recommend you wear a roof harness (available at home centers and online).
Tarp large areas
For larger areas, a tarp is the best bandage. But before you spread a tarp, screw plywood over large holes in the roof. Left unsupported, a tarp will sag into a hole, fill with rainwater and possibly leak. If shingles have blown off but there are no holes in the roof, you can lay the tarp directly over the roof sheathing. Stretch the tarp so it lies smoothly over the roof and batten down the entire perimeter; just a few inches of loose tarp will allow strong winds to rip the tarp. Use screws and any type of lumber you have on hand to secure the tarp. Whenever possible, extend the tarp over the roof ridge so water won’t flow down and under it. If there’s no way to run the tarp over the ridge, slip sections of flashing under shingles and over the upper edge of the tarp. Then drive nails through both the flashing and the tarp.
Patch a small hole
A section of flashing is the perfect patch for smaller holes—often caused by blown-down tree branches. Slide the flashing under the shingles above the hole and nail down the exposed corners of the flashing. Don’t forget to caulk around the hole. Special roof sealant is best, but any type of caulk is better than nothing.