How To - Roof Repair Tips

If you're looking for "roof repair" information, you've come to the right place. This article will help you find the leak, which is half the battle.

Finding a leak can be tricky because the place that it's showing up inside may not be directly under where it's coming in outside. Still, that's the best place to start looking.

In order to do that, it is helpful to establish a "RP" (reference point) that you can see from both inside and outside the house. By taking a careful measurement from the leak to your RP you can transfer the location to your roof.

How to Roof Repair - Interior Reference Points

Windows, exterior doors, and skylights all make great RP's. I've found that it's handy to make a little sketch to stay orientated.

Keep in mind that your measurements inside the room are horizontal and the ones on the roof will be along a sloped plane. On a 5:12 slope, add 8.3% to the horizontal measurement. That comes out to an extra foot along the slope for every 12 feet horizontally. Add a little more for steeper slopes, a little less for those with a lower slope. Also, be sure to allow for the width of the soffit overhang.

This may allow you to find the problem without ever going in the attic. That is especially helpful if you have poor attic access.

How to Roof Repair - Attic Reference Points

Still, finding a leak is somewhat simplified if you can get in the attic over the leak. You can see where the water is dripping through the sheathing and if it is being diverted.

When you are in the attic, look for a RP that you can use when you are up on the roof. That might be a plumbing pipe, vent or a chimney.

Measure from your reference point to the spot where you first see the water coming through the wood sheathing. This may not be the exact spot of the actual leak, but again, that's the best place to start looking.

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