First Things First
Climbing up the ladder to repair a leak immediately after it happens, without any precautions and planning, is something that can cause injury. Walking on a roof while it is raining or it is covered with ice and snow, is also a sure way to become injured. Repairing a leak on the roof has no quick-fix or shortcut that is not dangerous. Just bide your time and let Mother Nature cool down, before you go on the roof.
Be Prepared
Prepare your equipment and wear proper gear before climbing up the roof. Make sure you wear rubber sole shoes to avoid slipping. You should also use harness to be prepared for a worst-case scenario. Having a coworker or friend at hand is also a must, to get help if something bad happens.
How to Find the Leak on the Roof?
Spray it. Take a garden hose and start spraying in different locations on the roof to find the leak. Have patience and don’t give up if you don’t find the leak right away. On many occasions, the leak needs time before showing itself. Also don’t spray the roof in winter when it is icy cold. A frozen roof is very slippery and can easily turn you upside down.
Don’t let Ice to build up
In winter, ice easily builds up under gutters and shingles. When the ice reaches the wall line where the house is heated, it begins to melt down and interior drip is created. This can be prevented with rain and ice shields and proper ventilation. One should also install a drip edge to help improve the situation and to avoid ice buildup.
Keep the Gutters Clean
Gutters are not made to hold water for long periods of time. When your gutter is filled up with water, the edge of one’s roof surface comes into constant contact with rain water, causing over time, the surface material of the roof to rot and become weak. As a result, the roof needs to be repaired at the end. Cleaning gutters can save you from heavy damage to the roof.
Check the Material
Having to repair a fixed roof again, because of low quality or damaged materials that were previously used, is a real headache. Save yourself from this ordeal by first inspecting the material before climbing up the ladder and starting the work. Faulty shingles will crack after they are nailed down and this could lead to new leaks in the roof.
Check the Valleys
Since a great portion of the water from the entire roof will run through the valleys into the gutters, they are very prone to causing leaks. They also dry more slowly than other parts of the roof and therefore rot and decay are common problems in these areas.
Be Persistent
It is very essential not to give up when a leak can’t be found right away. It is a process and you have to do it one step at a time. If you have inspected one area, repaired and declared it watertight, then you can be sure that one spot is covered.