Has your roof sprung a leak? With the South Florida hurricane season fast approaching, it’s important to get your roof fixed quickly. Both hurricane Irma and Michael inflicted massive damage on residential real estate. If your roof has a leak, it’s time to act fast. Here are some quick roof leak fixes to do while a professional roofer can get the job done completely.
Don’t Kick The Bucket
The first thing to do is to minimize any interior damage. Roof leaks can ruin flooring, electronics, and furniture. Once you’ve identified the leak, grab any buckets you can find and place them under the leak. This will protect your flooring by containing the leaking water. Once you’ve bucketed all the visible leaks, it’s time for some forward-thinking. Be sure to inspect your ceiling for any accumulation of moisture. If you see wet ceiling patches forming, this could cause another leak.
The following advice may take some time to sink in. If you notice any small wet patches forming, you need to open them up. Once you have a bucket in place underneath, create a small hole in the ceiling to release the water. Water gets heavy and a build-up of water in your ceiling could cause part of your ceiling to collapse! By releasing the accumulating water, you could be saving your home from a catastrophe.
Cover The Roof Leak With A Tarp
The next emergency measure is to make use of tarp. Tarps come in very handy to temporarily stop roof leaks and a professional roofer will be able to help you with this. They will make sure that the ends of the tarp extend over the ridges of your roof. This will ensure that the tarp directs the water onto the ground and not back towards the leak. For many leaks, you’ll need more than one piece of tarp. Remember that a tarp is a temporary measure until the roofing company can fix the leak.
Use Roofing Tape
Another quick fix is to stick roofing tape over the leak. Roofing tape is widely available and not expensive to buy. Remember that roofing tape needs to be applied to the inside of the roofing material. It won’t stick to your wet roof tiles or shingles. It needs to be applied to the underside of the roof in your attic. Roofing tape works well for smaller leaks. It may not last very long on larger leaks, so it needs to be checked regularly and re-applied if necessary.
Apply Roofing Cement
If you don’t have roofing tape, you may have roofing cement. Roofing cement tubes are handy to have around for rook leak emergencies. Roofing cement is designed to seal roof holes fast. It sets instantly, which stops water from entering through holes. But before you start squeezing it on, you’ll need to have the right tools. You’ll need a roofing trowel or a putty knife to apply the cement. Either of these will ensure that the cement is applied evenly. Make sure that you’re generous with the layer of cement applied. You want to completely cover up that hole.
Get In A Roofer Before Hurricane Season
Prevention is always the best solution. Why not get in an AABCO roofing professional to conduct a full roof inspection ahead of the stormy season. This way you won’t be rustling to get that tarp or roofing tape when it’s too late. No leaks are the best leaks. Looking for a roofing contractor with a quick response time? AABCO Roofing has South Florida covered. They offer a prompt service. All it takes is one call and a roofer will be on their way to your home. Call AABCO Roofing today at 954-426-8500.
