How to Find A Roof Leak And Stop It

Somewhere on this roof there is a leak. I will show how to find the source of this roof leak and stop it from ever leaking again. This article will use much of the system shown on http://www.ehow.com/how_2071152_stop-roof-leak.html

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tri polymer Sealant
• Screwdriver to open can with
• Paint stir stick
• Ladder
• Garden hose with shut off valve.
• Walkie Talkie's

1. 
    
   Drip at the corner of an old skylight.

   First step is to identify where the leak is showing itself within your living space. Then, by measuring, try to find the approximate location on the roof. In this case, the leak was believed to be at the corner of an old skylight which had been removed in an attempt to fix the problem. It still leaked after the skylight was removed. The owners even put a new roof on and it still leaked. This leak went on for years.

2. 
    
   Walkie Talkie's

   Finding a leak like this takes two people wearing walkie talkie's. One up on the roof running water and the other watching in the house for the first signs of water seeping through.

3. 
    
   Ladder in place with garden hose up on the roof

   Set up a suitable ladder so one of you can get up on the roof with a water hose with a shutoff on the end of it. Turn on the water.

4. 
    
   Wet down first area

   First, the area of the roof above the interior damage was wet down. No leak showed up in this area.

5. 
    
   Water down further up the roof until the leak shows up

   Next, the person on the roof waters down the area further up the roof until water starts showing up inside the house. At the first
   sign, call over the Walkie Talkie and tell the person on the roof to shut off the water. The area where he sprayed last is the location of the leak. In this case, the leak was in the upper portion of an attic vent. This leak was a full 10-15 feet or more up the roof from the interior stain. The leaking water had to have been running down the roof underneath the shingles.

6. 
    
   The Geocel lable

   Now it's best to let things dry out for at least a day if possible. If you are desperate to get the leak fixed, you can put the Geocel on when the surface is wet. You may want to put some more on when it dries out.

7. 
    
   Source of the leak

   Using the Geocel Roof Sealant and a paint stick smear a good portion of it around the place where it looks like it could be leaking. This material is clear so it will not be unsightly to look at from the street so apply it generously.

8. Lastly, a day or so later, wet down the roof area to verify that the leak has been eliminated.

Tips & Warnings

• The Geocel Roof Sealant can be purchased at Ace Hardware, and possibly other hardware stores and you can get it at most any roof supply warehouse. These warehouses are generally wholesale houses but some will sell it to an individual who pays in cash.
• The Geocel is extremely sticky so use caution in handling it. It's very easy to get it all over your hands. It will come off with naphtha or mineral spirits.

[jinka]

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[jbirky]

on 7/30/2009 Thank you for the kind comments regarding Geocel. If you would like to find out where you can find our products near you go to...http://www.geocelusa.com/php/retail/where.to.buy.php