There’s never a good time for a roof leak to strike, but there certainly are worse times, like in recent storms or on weekend when most roofers have their feet up enjoying a relaxing day. Whilst not always recommended, there are a few things you can do if your roof spontaneously starts leaking and you cannot get a professional to look into the cause quickly. Roof leaks can cause major damage to your home and can in the long-term present health issues as well.
Temporary roof repairs are a quick fix until you can get the roofer on site, and we definitely don’t recommend these fixes as a long-term solution. Simply, they are designed to just buy you some time until your roofer can fix the root cause.
The best solution is to cover roof damage with a heavy-duty tarp cover. Its quick and cost effective, you can usually pick up a decent tarp from your local Bunnings quite cheaply. It doesn’t look great but as a temporary measure, its one of the best. This would only be a one to two-day solution, three at best, as over time water would pool in places and compromise the integrity of the tarp and its simply not designed as a long-term solution. It is however the fastest way to solve the immediate threat to your roof. This solution should get you through a weekend. You will want to make sure the tarp is secure and tight over the affected area, in case another storm rolls in or further damage occurs. Always check your tarp as well, make sure it has remained in place and doesn’t require adjusting.
Shingles, if you have any that are loose or missing, you can create new ones out of sheet metal. If you grab a loose shingle, you can use it as a template on the sheet metal. Then you can install them in their rightful places using nails or roofing cement. Remember that a roof is not a safe environment and you should always put safety first. Make sure you are not alone on site and that you have the property safety precautions in place. Alternatively, you can try the tarp method instead as a temporary measure. Shingles would need to be attended to as soon as possible, as leaving the sheet metal there isn’t a permanent solution and sheet metal can be slippery, so make sure you are wearing appropriate footwear. Really, this is a small solution if you were intending to replace the roof completely in the near future.
By taking on some of these emergency repairs when a roofer isn’t available, you can save yourself thousands in water egress, mould, mildew and other problems arising from a leaking roof. Whilst these aren’t permanent solutions to the problem, they are designed to buy you time to call in the professionals.
Sometimes a roof cannot be restored, and your money would be better used replacing the COLORBOND® roof on your home. GT Roofing Adelaide specialises in roofing restoration, replacements, repairs and extensions and works with COLORBOND® Steel and BlueScope Steel throughout the Adelaide area and across South Australia. For an obligation free chat, please call George on 0434 640 550 or complete our contact form and we will get in touch shortly.