So your aging roof is leaking water. Don't despair. You can replace the whole roof, or you can simply apply a bit of repair knowledge at a lower cost and less expense. Roof repair is never a cinch, but you can make it easier by exercising patience and a systematic approach. Put those binoculars you bought for bird-watching to use--as a roof inspection aid. Get out the hammer, nails, a trowel, and some roofing cement. Get ready to fix your roof with the best of them.
Instructions
Inspect Your Roof
1. Pull out the binoculars. You can use them to spot most imperfections in your roof from the ground. Scan the entire roof inch by inch, and make note of any trouble spots.
2. Walk all over your roof, starting at one end and pacing the entire area of your roof. Take note of all further suspect points on the roof material.
3. Inspect all vents, air conditioning units and skylights. You are looking for places at which the roofing feature has separated from the roof itself. Look for where the existing roofing cement or tar has cracked or separated.
4. From inside your house, use a flashlight to look for all water trails. Follow them to their origins and poke a nail up through the roof for later identification. If you see any sunlight poking in, poke a nail up through that, too.
Repair All Leaks
5. Repair any shingle imperfections to stop most leaking roofs. Wherever you found a possible problem in Section 1 (inspection), carefully pull up one edge of the offending shingle. Apply roofing cement, replace any nails, and cover over any new nails or holes with roofing cement.
6. Repair any broken seals in the cement around fixtures (vents and so on). In most cases you will have to remove the entire fixture. Clean it off thoroughly. Get rid of all the old roofing cement or tar. Brush off the dirt and gunk, sop up any water, and let any water residue dry. Replace the fixture, work roofing cement between the fixture and the roof itself, and layer some cement over the top of the fixture where it meets the roof. Feather the cement so that water can drain off gracefully.
7. Repair any cracks and other types of leaks in flat roofing material. Use a layer of roofing cement, a section of roof patching fabric, and then a final layer of cement. Feather the cement into the roof's surface for water drainage.
8. Repair any bubbles or blisters in flat roofing material. Cut an "X" spanning the bubble and carefully pull up the resultant flaps. Fill with cement and replace the flaps. Cover over the cuts with roofing cement and embed strips of roof patching fabric. Add another layer of cement, another round of fabric, and a final layer of cement. Be sure it is thorough but as flat as possible. Feather the cement downward for drainage.
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