How Do You Temporarily Stop a Roof Leak?

Even the most careful homeowner will face a roof leak at some point. Because roofs are always directly exposed to the elements, their materials are particularly prone to deteriorating. Snow build-up, heavy rains, or windy storms are among the most common causes of water leaks.

Properly repairing a roof leak is particularly dangerous, so let’s get this out of the way – please keep all on-the-roof work to professional contractors.

That being said, a temporary fix could potentially save your ceiling. As you’ll find out below, stopping a roof leak is all about damage control. After all, it is extremely likely that the minor drip coming from your ceiling is only the tip of the iceberg. But don’t worry, because we’re here to help you buy some time before the heavy artillery arrives.

Divert and relieve water pressure

The last thing you want is water building up between your ceiling and your roof. With this cost-effective and simple trick, you will stop water from spreading to other areas.

First of all, locate the point where the water is accumulating. A sagging lump in your ceiling will immediately give it away, but there are also less obvious signs such as mould patches.

Once you have located this focal point, it’s time for action. First, place a large plastic container just below the focal point (a big pan will also work, but remember that the noise of water slowly dripping into a pan is basically a form of torture).

Then, poke a hole right in the middle of the area. You don’t need a power tool to do this – even a screwdriver will do the trick. It seems counterintuitive, but this tip will actually save you a lot of headaches. The new hole will allow water to drip smoothly into your container, relieving pressure and preventing further damage to your ceiling.

Let the hole dry

Impatience can lead to disasters. This short step seems obvious, but this is actually where a lot of homeowners go wrong. Before even trying to patch things up, make sure the water has stopped dripping and that your ceiling has dried up.

Time to seal

Once your ceiling is dry, use some chalk to make a circle around the problematic area. This will buy you some valuable time once you hire a contractor for a long-lasting repair.

Then, apply a decent amount of waterproof roof sealant, which you can find at most DIY shops. Use a scraper to ensure that the patch is covering the whole area. Once dry, caulk any remaining holes or cracks.

Prevention and repairing

Again, please keep in mind that this is only a temporary solution to a roof leak. If you really want to wage war on mould and dripping water, hiring a professional is the best course of action. That’s where DPR Roofing can help. We provide reliable roofing services for commercial and domestic properties throughout Huddersfield.

To find out more, call us on 01484 866 772 or email [email protected].