How To Be Prepared For Emergency Roof Repairs

With having a roof, it is very likely that you will need to get your roof repaired at some point in time. There is the possibility of having an emergency roof leak which will need to be temporarily repaired until you can get an appointment with a roofer to come fix it. An emergency roof repair can cause chaos, but if you are prepared for it, can control it, and avoid doing certain things, then it will be manageable.

Why Homeowners Should Prep For Emergency Roof Repairs

Emergency roofing repairs are inevitable over the course of a roof’s life. Storms and high winds are notorious for causing damage to roofs. All homeowners should have a plan to handle the situation. If the owner does not have an established plan, then it can further damage the broken roof along with the people and belongings inside of the house.

Prepare An Emergency Plan

Schedule: The most important step in an emergency plan is to establish a regular inspection and maintenance schedule. Routine inspections can sometimes prevent emergency roofing repairs by identifying worn out panels or spots that might be weaker than others.
Repair Priorities: If the inspection reveals anything that might need to be fixed, then immediately tell your contractor to repair it. This can save you time and money later on in the future.
Track Repairs: During regular and emergency repairs, make sure to document all the things that were fixed. It is common to miss a repair in the midst of all the chaos.

How To Minimize Damage To Your House And Roof

There are several ways an individual can contain the roofing damage until a roofer comes and professionally fixes the roof. These temporary fixes will prevent your belongings from being damaged even more, and it will also keep the roof damage at a minimal instead of spreading.

Minimizing Damage Inside Your House

Funnel the Water Flow: If your ceiling is holding water, use an object with a point like a pen or a screwdriver and poke a hole in the middle of the bulge. It will funnel the water into the one spot, and your ceiling will be saved.
Collect the Water: You will need to collect all the water from the leak so your house does not get ruined from the water. It is best if you use garbage pails because they have a larger capacity than most types of buckets.
Protect Belongings: If you have any valuables in your house that are near the leak site, then it is best to move them into another room where they will remain dry and safe. By doing this, you will not have to be worried about your precious belongings or furniture being ruined.

Minimizing Damage On The Roof

Whenever you have a roofing issue, you have to identify the location of the problem. Every type of location requires a different strategy for minimizing damage and completing temporary repairs.

Skylight Leaks: When installing skylights, there is a huge hole created; so when it rains, water will leak through. There are several ways to fix this.
- Flexible Roof Sealant- Apply flexible roof sealant from a tube to holes, gaps, and loose shingles
- Silicone Caulk – Apply silicone caulking to the skylight window or lens to fix any leaks between the window and the frame
- Flashing & Shingles – Replace the flashing and shingles around the skylight, creating a new water barrier
Chimney Leaks: If your chimney leaks, it can mean you have several issues, some of them being that the chimney crown is cracked, having cracks in the chimney veneer, or gaps in your mortar.
- Chimney Cover- A cover can temporarily stop water from entering
- Flexible Roof Sealant- This will seal any holes, gaps, cracks around the chimney
- Cricket Installation- A chimney cricket will redirect water away from the chimney
Damaged Shingle Leaks: Shingle damage can happen because of sun exposure, heavy rainfall, falling debris, strong winds, or just the roof being old. To quickly repair this, you will have to:
- Remove Debris- remove any objects on the shingles to alleviate some of the pressure
- Replace Shingles- If any shingles came off, then attach them back into their place until a roofer can properly fix them

Things To Never Do To Your Roof

You should never walk onto your roof because aside from falling off and injuring yourself, you could dislodge shingles and cause more leaks.
Do not pressure wash your roof to remove debris after a storm. This will cause more harm to your roof than before, and you should let professionals handle it.
It is never a good idea to go looking for more leaks. Just handle the ones that you can see, but never mess with shingles and panels and lift them to find leaks. By doing this, you will create more leaks than before.

There is a good chance that you might have to provide a temporary fix for your roof before an expert can get there. Try your best to stay calm and follow these steps as it will make the situation easier to handle, and hopefully, less stressful than before.

Contact 1 OAK Roofing’s Cartersville Roofing Contractors

Cartersville

770-696-6054

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ROOFING EXPERTS