Many home owners are making the choice to undertake their own home improvement projects and repairs as a way to save money in the current changing economy. The advantage of doing your own roof repairs is that you can have the great feeling of a job well-done with only the cost of the materials. The downside is that you can totaly miss the source of your roof leak and spend too much time or money on a less than satisfactory repair that could have been quickly detected and remedied by a professional roofing contractor. If you decide to move forward and attempt fixing a leaky roof, here are some tips from the professionals for doing it right…

Roof Valley Leaks

One if the most common reasons for a leaky roof begins with trouble in a roof valley. This is the area of your roof where two slopes join at an angle.  As time goes by the elements and weather will have a harmful effect on the roof valley asphalt shingles. It simply deteriorates and breaks down or cracks due to the wind and the sun. Decomposing organic debris that tends to collect in this low part of the roof also causes the shingles to rot. The most difficult part of the job is to determine the source of the leak. The first step is to clear away all leaves, branches and debris that may be obscuring your view.

Steps for Repairing Damaged Shingles

• Keep your eyes open for missing, rotten or torn shingles. You will be sure  the shingle is rotten if it pulls easily from the roof. Matching the shingles makes your roof look better but it’s not an absolute must when you are trying to prevent further water damage. 
• Lift up the edges of shingles surrounding the one that is no good and remove the nails using a small pry bar. Scrape away any loose roofing cement that is left underneath. Take your time not to puncture the roof deck with the pry bar or damage the good shingles. 
• Slide the new shingle into the gap and align it with the other shingles around it. 
• Lift up the overlapping shingles and attach the new shingle through the top corners with two 6d galvanized roofing nails. Seal the nails with roofing cement and then carefully replace all the nearby shingles.

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