Thanks to COVID-19, you probably feel like you’re hanging around the house way too much. No matter what you do or how often you clean, your place constantly gets dirty, and you’re tired of it. The pandemic has put a damper on all of your fun and exotic plans, and now even those Netflix binging marathons that you’ve always dreamed of having time for are getting old.
You need to get out! You need to see a new space! But so many things are still closed. Thankfully, you have that custom porch built just for you.
You take a seat under the awnings and settle into a new book, page by page. It’s like an escape route as you’re transported by the narrative, the tragic and magical words weaving you through their story, through the adventures, the loss, the love. It’s almost enough to make a grown man cry.
*drip*
Right onto those gripping pages.
*drip*
As the water blurs the words.
*drip*
You realize these aren’t your tears and your gaze shoots upward. You see nothing but another problem. The roof is leaking.
But this isn’t a problem you need to fret over. Surprisingly, fixing a leaky roof is rather easy, at least if it’s on your porch. All you need to know is what material it’s made of and where the leak is. Then you’re good to go and patch that hole.
To find the leak
One of the most important things to know about locating leaks is that the drip is rarely where the hole is.
To find the hole, a good tactic would be to enlist some help and a garden hose. Run the hose for several minutes over isolated spots on the roof and have your friend yell when water starts to drip. Once that happens you’ve found the general area of the leak. Just know, this method can take a while.
You can also look for mold or spots with water discoloration.
Wood Roof
Leaks in wood roofs are often found between the panels. When looking, you’ll likely see small gaps between them, and these are caused by the wood expanding and contracting.
Fixing these leaks and gaps is a fairly simple process: get a caulking gun and fill it with either a polyurethane or oil-based sealant. Then, holding it at an angle, pump the sealant into the gap making sure it’s a smooth beading all the way.
Finally, use a putty knife to press it in, especially if it tries to ooze out.
Corrugated Roof
Just to make sure you know; a corrugated roof is that metal roof with all the hills and valleys. They’re designed so that they overlap at the joints, and this is a common place for leaks to occur, as well as where the bolts pierce the metal, once these spots have started to deteriorate.
To fix these spots, spray or pump a polyurethane sealant on the underside of these bolts and leaks, then let it dry. Once it’s no longer wet, you may want to go over it with water-resistant paint or varnish to help it blend in with the coloring of the roof and give it some added protection.
Fiber Glass
First, determine if the fiber glass is cracked. This material is an easy thing to get cracks in, so don’t feel bad about it happening.
Once you’ve found the hole, you need to clean it. Thoroughly. Use acetone to get that area spotless, then roughen it up with 200-grit sandpaper.
Once that’s been done, soften up a patch of fiber glass with resin and paste it on the crack. Once it dries, sand it again to get it even with everything else, then apply clear gel to the area.
Vinyl
If you get a tear in your vinyl roof or awning, all you need to do is find vinyl of a similar coloring, size and weight. Then spread a vinyl glue on both the patch and the original roof and stick them together. Make sure to press the bubbles out.
Some ways to prevent leaks
While preventing leaks indefinitely is near impossible, there are some things you can do to minimize your risks for leaks.
If there are any types of penetration in the roof, like nails, bolts, plumbing, vents, etc., make sure you get their edges sealed up. You can use a caulking gun, but be aware that caulk really only holds the floods back for so long and will need to be re-checked frequently.
Also, make sure that the roof is clear of debris and that no branches will be able to fall on it. These culprits are very good at breaking and cracking roofs.
To simplify the repair process, you can buy do-it-yourself repair kits from several stores like Home Depot.
If the roof is too far gone, make sure you look into the custom patio cover companies to help you out with the repairs. They can save you frustration and execute a repair that will withstand Colorado’s extreme weather. Contact our professionals at SRI Decks for more help.
