If you notice a leak in your roof, you may not have to worry about replacing the entire roof, as many roofs develop leaks many years before you actually need to replace the entire thing. These leaks typically come about by damage to the area, perhaps caused by missing shingles or cracked ones, or perhaps blistering or cracking on a flat roof. Of course, what makes roof repair a bit more complicated is the problem of locating where the leak comes from. Understandably, working on a roof is quite dangerous; as such, you must take the necessary precautions to avoid serious injury.


Before you begin, take note of the following safety precautions: be sure to work on a day that is totally sunny, and make sure the roof is totally dry to avoid slips and falls; also, make use of safety ropes to prevent falls; if you are working on a steep roof, utilize a ladder framework for secure anchoring; use shoes with rubber soles to give you maximum traction; be wary of power lines while working on your roof. With these in mind, you can now proceed with the following steps:

Step 1. Check the shingles on the roof to see if any are curled, damaged, or missing. Check the place where two pieces meet as well as around each vent or chimney if you can find any breaks in the caulking or flashing, as well as for gaps in the roof cement lines. If you cannot locate anything wrong with the shingles or any flashing in the area of the leak, it is a signal to call in a professional roofer, as it likely means there is not enough flashing, or possibly the shingles may have deteriorated.

Step 2. For damages found on the shingles, work on the curled up shingles first. Reattach curled-back shingles using either tube compounds to be used with a caulking gun, or asphalt roof cement. As you work in warm weather, pull the curled shingle into a straightened form; if you are working in cooler weather, it might not be as simple, as the shingle tends to become brittle. In this case, soften the curled shingle first with a propane torch attached with a nozzle designed to spread the flame. Hold the flame onto the curled edges, making it warm for it to soften but be sure not to heat it too much or else it will catch fire. From that point on, you can straighten out the shingle edges, and reattach it using a generous helping of roof cement on the bottom.

Step 3. If you find rotten, missing, or torn shingles, you will have to replace them with new pieces. Rotten shingles include those that can lift right off your roof. In an emergency, you can cut patches from sheet copper or aluminum. Lift the edges of shingles surrounding the one you intend to replace, and remove the nails carefully using a pry bar. Then, slide the old shingle out. Slightly round off the back corners of a new shingle using a utility knife, and slide the piece into the back, aligning its front edge with the shingles on its side. Fasten the top of the new shingle by driving galvanized roofing nails through the corners, and apply roof cement on the nail heads.