Roof Repair – How To Stop A Leak Until Roofers Arrive

When it rains, it pours, they say. Sooner or later all roofs on houses will receive some type of wear and tear. This part of a home is constantly barraged by the elements and may spring a leak from weather or damage sustained from old age. When this part of your home starts to noticeably drip, then it is time to call the professionals for help. A few drops can slowly develop water damage to interior wood framing and even allergy-inducing mold. If you would like to know how to temporarily plug a leak, then look over the following paragraphs.

When addressing a leak, there are a lot of common sense factors that apply. First off, if any damage has been sustained due to bad weather, it is definitely a wise idea not to try to service any repairs until the storm has subsided. If the dripping is severe, go ahead and place buckets to collect the water that may be falling in the attic or other parts of the home. Take into consideration that a wet rook will be very slick, so take extra care when climbing up for an inspection.

In the event that considerable damage has been caused, perhaps due to a fallen tree limb, do not attempt to climb on top of your house. A structurally unsound roof is no place for the inexperienced to be standing. Call the professionals and let them handle it, as no one wants to pay for hospital bills on top of contractor repairs.

If the roof does not appear to have suffered any serious damage, then inspect it carefully. The first and easiest leak source to spot is that of shingle damage. Checking to see if any are missing should be pretty noticeable. While you wait for a contractor to come over for an inspection, go ahead and place some temporary shingles underneath where the missing ones were.

If your house has ridge vents, then the nails that hold them down may have been blown loose from a storm. You can reattach these, but will still need the help of a professional to be sure that any holes are properly sealed off.

If your home has a flat roof, then go ahead and sweep off any standing water that has not drained away. The hole may not be easy to locate, but you can cut down on additional damage by removing the excess water that could be dripping into your house.

Flashing material can be loosened from serious storms. Check around the edges of chimneys and walls to see if this is the case and put the material back in the place. A great temporary remedy to this type of damage is duct tape. Simply seal until the repair workers show up.

These are just a few tips and tricks to cut down on additional damages to your house before contractors are able to help you. If your roof looks at all unsafe to walk on, please take the proper precautions. Using buckets to simply catch water is something safe that anyone can do. Use these pointers to help and you may avoid having to pay for further repair jobs.