Roofs are an integral part of any building and provide essential cover in all weathers. They have a unique function in ventilating a building as well as in draining any water on the house; and they also play a key role in insulation. For this reason, it’s vital to make sure it doesn’t become damaged. However, over time, your roof could become a weak point of your house, in which case you might need to take that long walk up the ladder to do some DIY maintenance. Follow these steps to make sure you complete your roof repair task with adequate care.
Ascertain what type of repair is needed
The first step to take, if you’re doing Roof repairs in Romford or other parts of the UK, is to figure out the damage as well as what kind of roof you have. You need to thoroughly analyse the material used on the roof, how it’s constructed, what its history of leaks is and location of all drains and mountings. During your inspection you should also find out how the top layer of the roof is attached to layers below and how all the screws, nails and other fastenings are fixed to the top layer.
Locate leak
The next step is to find out where the weakness in the roof is. If, during your inspection, you spot cracks, loose tiles, broken joints, standing water, splits, or other types of damage; then this is a likely place where the leak is. It’s impossible to find out where the leak is below the roof because water travels as it penetrates the roof layer and can drip anywhere in the house. Only by inspecting the roof itself can you make a reasonable assessment of the leaking point.
If this doesn’t help, as a last resort, you can poor water on various parts of the roof to find out where it’s leaking. Do this when the roof is completely dry. However, you should only do this if you are certain that a little water penetration won’t cause any more damage on below.
Prepare the surface
Check the entire roof and fix any loose nails, screws or loose tiles before you begin. Then you need to clean the surface area using a broom or a mop. Wash away all mould and mildew using cleansing material, then rinse away the cleansing material before you begin. If you’re making roof repairs in Romford, your local hardware shop should be able to provide you with the relevant materials.
Fix the leak
Having located the leak and prepared the surface, you can now begin to patch it. This should be done using special coating. Brush a thick layer of patching material over the area and then wait for it to get dry. Then apply a second coat of patching and you should be done.
