Fixing a leaky roof takes more than putting a bucket beneath the water dripping through the hole in the ceiling. If small repairs are not done when they are still small, especially in Washington where it likes to rain, they can quickly grow to colossal proportions and eventually lead to needing a whole new roof. There are many home and business owners who have no idea what valleys and flashing are and want to keep it that way, are probably better off calling a commercial roofing or roof repair company. Others can attempt the repairs themselves.
The first step is to assess what is causing the leak. Most often a cracked shingle or roof area is to blame, although it might take some hunting to find the crack. Homes or businesses with shingle or wooden shake roofs usually give away the damage with shingles that are bent, curled up or otherwise damaged. Flat roofs often leak where an area of the roof is depressed. Damage is usually apparent in the roofing tar or roofing felt material. If no visible signs of damage are immediately apparent on the roof’s surface, the problem can be at roof connection points.
Leaks can also seep into the home from damage in the roof valley or flashing. Roof valleys are the areas where the different sections of the roof join up, creating a small indentation, or valley. Flashing is the flat, metal pieces used around areas that need sealing, such as the chimney, windows or roof vents.
The proper repairs are impossible without the proper tools and supplies. Shingle or wooden shake roofs will need new shingles to replace the damaged ones as well as tools remove the old shingles. A pry bar can work for pliable shingles that are flexible enough to wrench out the nails.
Wood shake requires a hacksaw to cut out the damaged portion. Flat roof repairs require cutting open and squeezing water out of the roof blisters, allowing the area to dry or drying it with a propane torch, then securing the damaged area with a roofing compound or cement held in place with roofing nails.
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