Fix Your Own Flat Roof

Look for the source of your leak from inside the building.

Fix your own flat roof.

Lay a 2x4 board flat and horizontal onto the roof a few feet below where you ll be working. When the membrane is completely dry apply the appropriate roof repair material such as roof cement tar or peel and stick patch. Take the measurements you made from the interior and begin looking for the leak on the roof. Some roofers also suggest using 6d roofing nails to secure the blister flaps.

Slice open blistered spots with a utility knife. Determine how far the leak is from the 2 closest walls. Use six nails per shingle to ensure maximum hold and be sure to always nail on the tar strip. Often the financial aspects of installing a new roof or repairing your existing roof are so overwhelming that a healthy roof may seem like an impossible goal.

Use the push broom and sweep the flat roof as clean as possible. The water may have run along your roof through. Dispose of the debris in a garbage bag or use a vacuum cleaner to suck it up. After all it keeps water out of the building.

Sealing small cracks and holes. When you apply any flat roof coating the roof needs to be relatively clean for the coating to adhere to the surface. The roof is arguably the most important component of your house. And while nobody likes having to pay to replace a roof the critical and aesthetic function it serves should help ease the pain of spending 8 000 to 20 000 on the work.

There are many government grants for roof replacement that could help keep your home sturdy and snug. If you take that step be sure to cover the nail heads with tar roof sealant or peel and stick flashing patch. Step 1 clean the flat roof. Lay the first row of shingles starting at a bottom corner of the roof.

Place a base row of shingles following the chalk lines on the felt and move upward in a pyramid shape. If you have a leaky roof you d better fix it immediately even if it doesn t bother you much or you re getting a new roof next year. Use the 2x4 as a cleat to keep you from sliding down the roof. Finding damaged areas on a.

Get on the roof. Even over a short time small leaks can lead to big problems such as mold rotted framing and sheathing destroyed insulation and damaged ceilings. How to temporarily fix a leaking flat roof find the leak.