Repairing a Leaky Roof: A Step-By-Step Guide
When you have a leaky roof, everything else starts to go wrong. The interior of your home is compromised, your property can be damaged by water, and you’ll likely have to replace some insulation. Repairing a roof is a labor-intensive process that isn’t for everyone, but taking care of it yourself can save you a lot of money instead of hiring someone to do the job for you.
- Locating The Leaky Roof
Start from the lowest point of the leak and work your way up through your home. You might have to go through the attic to find the source, so be prepared with a ladder. If you’re unsure of doing this yourself, you could consider contacting Primo roofing in Philly.
- Remove Roofing Shingles
Once you’ve found the source of the leak, you’re going to have to remove some shingles in order to gain access to the damaged section of the roof. If your roof isn’t made from shingles, then the process may be more difficult for you to deal with and you may need to contact a professional.
- Marking The Damaged Area
Using some chalk, draw a chalk line on the roof rafters on both the left and right sides of the damaged section of the roof. Also draw a line done the center of the rafters, using the existing nails as a guide for the center. You should also draw lines that are perpendicular (90 degrees) to the rafters at both the top and bottom of the damaged section.
- Removing The Roof Deck
Using a circular saw, cut along the chalk lines to cut away the damaged section of the roof. You’ll have to set the blade to the thickness of the roof plus another 1/16th inch. Once the roof deck has been cut, use a pry bar to remove the nails from the removed section. Don’t throw away the damaged plywood.
- Cut And Attach A New Roof Deck Patch
Use the damaged section you cut out as a template for the new roof patch. It’s best that you do the cutting on the ground so that you have a level surface, and you don’t risk falling off the roof. Set the new roof patch in place and nail it to the rafters. 8d common nails are the best ones to use for this job.
- Completing The Job
Nail down some roofing paper and start running the first row of new shingles. Maintain the rows with the existing shingles so that they blend together properly. Work from the bottom up and slide the new shingles under the upper row of the old ones.
Roof repair may seem difficult, but as long as you measure everything properly and get the right materials, the repair job should be quite simple. It will take a lot of labor on your part so you might want to get someone to help you, but you could end up saving on costs by doing it yourself. If you’re not confident in your skills, however, it would be a good idea to contact a roofing professional to handle the job for you.
