How to Fix a Leaky Roof

Picture this. You get home from work on a rainy day. You take off your shoes and sit down to warm up when you notice a dripping sound. That's when you find out your carpet is all wet; and so are your socks. You have a roof leak. So what do you do? Is this going to be expensive? Can a DIY project save money or cause to much of mess? All of these are good questions you need to ask yourself if you have a roof leak.

Listed in this article are several tips and practical advice for fixing a roof leak. We'll cover the basics of what to look for in finding the leak, to the final fix up and clean up. By using this advice, you may be able to save your roof a few more years before and expensive re-shingling is needed.

Depending on where the leak is at on your roof, is how to begin to attack the leak. First you should pinpoint its location on the ceiling or wall. Using your attic access and a good and bright flashlight, locate the spot in your attic. Typically, a leak occurs around an opening in the roof. A plumbing pipe, wall flashing, or roof venting is a common place for a roof to fail. Look for the leak on the exposed plywood. Water runs downhill, so by looking up the roof, you are more than likely to find its origin. Look for signs of graying wood, or rust for signs of water damage. If any rotting is occurring you should consult a builder for an estimate, or if your more inclined, replace the rotted material. Sometimes a quick fix is necessary . By "scabbing on" 2x4 or a bigger board onto each side of the rotted joist can sometimes help to do a quick repair on the rotting wood. Once you find the leak its time to go back outside, but before you go, try to imagine the place on the roof where it leaks. Use pipes and other roof penetrations to help map your leak. You can also count spaces between trusses. Each space is roughly two feet apart, so when you get outside you use a tape measure on the roof to help find a leak.