For homeowners everywhere, a roof leak is a nightmarish problem that can end up costing a ton of money and creating huge amounts of unseen damage to the home. However, that’s the worst-case scenario. If your home roof has sprung a leak, it’s not necessarily too late to do anything about it. On the contrary: If you catch your leak early enough and call a trusted midlothian roofing to patch it up, you could end up preventing a lot of serious damage to your home. The important thing is learning how to spot a leak long before you have to pull out a bucket to catch the dripping water. Once you’ve identified your leak, you can patch it up yourself while you’re waiting for professional help to get there. If you wait too long, however, you could be creating a monster in the form of rotting wood and an unsafe roof structure. If you’re worried about a leak in your house, here are some things you can do to protect your home from damage and stop rotting and mold in their tracks.
Find the Leak
While it might seem obvious as a first step, actually locating a roof leak can be tricker than it seems, First, you’ll have to run a few tests if your leak source isn’t obvious. This usually means going on the roof and pouring some water over a few areas while someone waits down below and monitors the leak. Once you get close, your leak will start dripping uncontrollably and you’ll know you’re in the right ballpark. However, with some leaks, identifying the problem isn’t that simple. It takes a deceptively long time for a roof leak to make its way into your actual home, which is why even the smallest leak can create the opportunity for widespread mold and rot. If you’re having trouble figuring out where a leak is, always check the attic as well as the roof itself to see if you can determine anything from looking at the wood boards or the roof shingles themselves. If you’re able to see any obvious shingle damage or even a bald patch on your roof, you’ll most likely be looking at your problem.
Replace Everything
After you’ve located the leak, you’ll want to get started stripping everything away, including insulation, panels, and as much of the structure as you can without endangering the roof itself. Because this is a tricky job, you’ll want to leave this step to the professionals. You’ll also want professionals to come and assess the damage themselves since there might be a lot of unseen mold and rot that you can’t identify yourself. Before you can patch anything up even as a DIY project, however, you’ll need to make sure that you’ve removed anything and everything that could lead to more mold in the future. Even if a part of your roof looks untouched, make sure you’re not taking any chances before adding your new material and installing your patch.
Patch the Area
Once you’ve stripped everything down and installed your new materials, you can create new blocking pieces for the area out of decking board for extra protection. If you’re doing a DIY job and you’ve already measured the area, you can cut these out yourself. After you’ve installed the decking board, you’ll need to install plywood and tar paper over the area to create an effective seal. After you’ve stapled everything down, the area will be secure and you can add your new roof shingles. Make sure everything is tight and that there’s no room for any surprise leaks. If you’re not confident about your patching job, call in a professional to inspect it or to do a full-scale repair. If you’re noticing that the damage extends too far for a simple patch, you’ll need to call a contractor to ask about a full or partial roof replacement.
Install New Shingles
If you’ve ever patched or installed new shingles on your roof, this will be the easy part. After identifying and patching up your leak, you’ll need to use heavy-duty roofing nails to bind your shingles to the upper layer of tar paper. This will serve as an extra buffer between your roof’s shingles and its inner structure. Once you’ve added all your necessary tiles and secured them, test them to make sure nothing is loose or shaky. For extra security, keep the nails firm by adding caulking or asphalt around the top. This will keep your shingles practically bolted down and invulnerable even through the heaviest storm.