There's a Hole in My Roof

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One place where extra caution must be used is at any shingle/flashing interface. For instance, a shingle along a valley can't be nailed too close to the flashing for fear of puncturing it; use roofing cement at the flashing end, and nails at the other end. If a shingle goes under a piece of step (sometimes called lea flashing, be extra careful not to disturb the flashing—at all. You can enlarge a small leak to a major waterfall here. Unless you're really experienced, this is one of those times to consult an expert.

Once you've determined the leak's location, a built-up flat roof practically fixes itself. At least you're not playing mountain goat on a steep pitch. The area needing repair usually sits directly above the ceiling leak. And it's probably a nice, sunny day, because flat roofs are most often found in warm climates with no snow-load factor.

First, sweep away the gravel down to the tar. Hole? Patch it with fiberglass or metal screen. Blister? Cut it away. Vent? Look for cracks. Then coat the area with roofing cement, use a trowel to sweep the gravel back in place, make sure the roof drain isn't plugged, and you're done.

LIFE SHOULD BE SO GOOD. And yet perhaps you've read this far and are cursing hard, because none of the preceding seems to apply to your leaky roof. You've checked the flashing, the eaves and every square inch of your roof, and the leak is close to an outside wall, but the overhang appears to be in good shape. In fact, you can't make the leak reappear with a garden hose; it only occurs during natural rainstorms.

Check your soffit vents, underneath the eaves. Wind can, and does, make water violate the downhill rule. It can drive rain swiftly into a soffit vent, and the water will collect against the wall. Feel the soffit for moisture. Is it damp? If the vent's causing your leak, move it to another location, and repair the resulting hole in the soffit.

No question about it: The maddening task of curing a leaky roof can, in mid-job, make you want to take off your safety line and hurl yourself off your own parapet, especially if you were sure you had it fixed four previous times. When exasperation strikes, put down your tools, take a deep breath and look around. Honestly, isn't it a wonderful view from up there? Isn't it nice to be all alone, way up high? Aren't you grateful, in these hard times, that you have a roof over your head to fix?

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