The first step is not to panic. Roof leaks are very natural, and they’re bound to happen at some point – no matter how many precautions you’ve taken to ensure the longevity of your roofing system. The next step is to make an assessment of the situation.
If the leaking is severe and coming in through multiple places, this problem is likely already out of your hands – unless you’re already a gifted roofer. Multiple leaks are a sign that something is seriously wrong not only with the roof, but also with the structure underneath that roof. If this is the case, then it’s best that you get in touch with a licensed roofing contractor right away. Even though you might be scared of the expenditure, believe that things are only going to get worse and more expensive the more you delay.
It’s a Roof Leak, Not Multiple Roof Leaks
If this is the case, then perhaps you might be able to take care of this problem yourself. That being said, you might have noticed that no two roofs are alike, so it will be impossible to give you specific advice for fixing your roof leaks. However, we can still provide you with some general guidelines, which you should be able to use to determine for yourself how to best tackle the situation.
Step 1: Find the Source of the Leak
Finding the source of your roof leaks is going to be a tricky task. Because almost all roofs are angled in some fashion, the place where the water appears to be entering from within the building will not necessarily correspond to the place where it’s actually entering the building from without. But, if you get up on your ladder and take a look, it might be readily obvious where some trouble spots are. Maybe there’s a missing shingle? Perhaps you’ve noticed a perforation in your EPDM roofing? If the site of the leak doesn’t seem obvious, you can use a hose to spray small amounts of water on different parts of the roof and see if that helps locate the source of the leak.
Step 2: Fix the Roof Leak
Once you’ve located the source of the roof leak, it will be time to make repairs. The roof leak repair that you’ll need to make, though, will depend entirely on the kind of roofing system that you have in place, and the way in which it’s damaged. If you’re missing a shingle, then you’ll need to get a replacement. If you have a hole in your EPDM roofing system, then you’ll need to apply a coat of liquid roof to the damaged area.
If you’re unsure of the materials that you’ll need, you can always talk to the folks at the hardware store. They should be able to make recommendations. If, though, things seem more complicated then you originally gave them credit for, you can always reach out to a licensed roofer. Fixing roof leaks is, after all, what they’re good at!