Roof Repair: What to Check, What to Fix and When to Call a Roofer
10 step by step guides
Most roof problems start small: a shingle that lifted in a windstorm, a nail that backed out, a patch of moss on the north slope, or a stain on a ceiling after a week of rain. Caught early, many of them are simple. Left alone through a wet Fraser Valley winter, they turn into wet insulation, rotten sheathing and a much larger bill.
The hardest part of roof repair is finding the problem. Start inside with how to trace a roof leak from the attic, and after any big blow, check your roof from the ground after a windstorm. If water is coming in right now, read how to tarp a leaking roof before you do anything else, and never go up during a storm.
These guides are honest about what a homeowner can do safely, much of it from the ground, a ladder base or the attic, and what needs a roofer with fall protection. Jobs like replacing a damaged shingle or resealing lifted shingles are on the roof surface and carry real fall risk, so each one says where the line is. A wet, mossy or steep roof is never a place to learn.
Roof Repair Guides
- Guide 1How to Replace a Damaged ShingleTo replace a damaged asphalt shingle, lift the shingles above to break their sealant strips, pull the nails holding the damaged shingle and the row above it with a flat bar, slide the damaged piece out, slide a matching shingle into place, nail it with four roofing nails just under the overlying course, then hand seal the tabs with dabs of asphalt roofing cement. Do this only in dry, mild weather.Advanced30 to 60 minutes per shingle
- Guide 2How to Tarp a Leaking Roof in an EmergencyTo tarp a leaking roof, wait for the wind and rain to stop, use a heavy-duty tarp that reaches at least 4 feet past the damage on every side and over the ridge, wrap the tarp's edges around 2 by 4 boards, screw the boards to the roof framing, and keep all fasteners outside the tarp's field. Never go on a wet, windy or steep roof. If you cannot do it safely, call a roofer.Advanced1 to 3 hours
- Guide 3How to Trace a Roof Leak From the AtticTo trace a roof leak, go into the attic with a flashlight during or soon after rain, find the wet insulation or stain, then follow water trails up the rafters and sheathing to the highest point where wood is darker. Check nearby flashings, vents and penetrations. Water travels down rafters and pipes before it drips, so the entry point is almost always higher than the ceiling stain.Intermediate1 to 2 hours
- Guide 4How to Fix Exposed and Popped NailsA popped roofing nail is a nail that has backed partly out of the deck and pushed up the shingle above it. To fix it, lift the shingle, pull the nail and drive a new galvanized roofing nail a short distance away, or if the hole is unused, seal it with a dab of asphalt roofing cement. Do not just hammer the old nail back down, and do not smear sealant over the head alone.Advanced1 to 2 hours
- Guide 5How to Reseal Lifted or Unsealed ShinglesTo reseal lifted asphalt shingles, work on a dry day above about 10 degrees Celsius, lift each loose tab gently, put a dab of asphalt roofing cement about the size of a quarter under each lower corner, and press the tab down. Use small amounts, since too much blisters the shingle. If shingles are cracked, curling or brittle, repair or replacement is better than resealing.Advanced1 to 3 hours
- Guide 6How to Install Zinc Strips to Prevent MossZinc strips are narrow metal strips installed under the ridge cap or a shingle course near the top of a roof slope. Rain washes trace zinc ions down the roof, which slows moss and algae growth on the shingles below. They do not remove existing moss, so clean the roof first. Expect protection for only a limited distance below each strip, and confirm the spacing with the manufacturer.Advanced2 to 5 hours
- Guide 7How to Clean Debris Off a Roof and Out of ValleysTo clean debris off a roof, work on a dry day, sweep or blow leaves and needles downslope with a leaf blower or a soft brush on a pole, clear valleys and the uphill side of chimneys and skylights, and finish by clearing the gutters. Never pressure wash, which strips shingle granules. Stay off the roof if it is steep, wet or mossy, and clean from a ladder or the ground with a long-handled tool.Intermediate1 to 3 hours
- Guide 8How to Check Your Roof After a WindstormAfter a windstorm, check your roof from the ground in daylight: look at the yard for shingle pieces, then scan each slope with binoculars for missing, creased or lifted shingles, damaged ridge cap, bent flashing and loose vent covers. Check the attic and ceilings for new stains. Photograph everything with dates. Do not climb onto a roof that may be damaged, wet or unstable.Beginner30 to 90 minutes
- Guide 9How to Deal With an Ice Dam SafelyAn ice dam forms when heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the cold eave. To deal with it safely, rake snow from the eaves with a roof rake from the ground, melt channels with calcium chloride in a fabric tube laid across the dam, and never chip or hack the ice. Then fix the cause: air sealing, insulation and ventilation.Intermediate1 to 3 hours
- Guide 10How to Replace Blown-Off Ridge CapTo replace blown-off ridge cap, remove the damaged caps, check the ridge deck and the field shingles below, start at the end of the ridge away from the prevailing wind and lay toward it, bend each cap over the ridge, fasten with two nails per cap about 1 inch above the exposure line and 5/8 to 1 inch in from each side, and hand seal the final cap with roofing cement. Only work on a dry, calm day with fall protection.Advanced2 to 4 hours
Also on this site
Roof Repair: Common Questions
How do I know if my roof needs repair or replacement?
Repair makes sense when damage is local: a few missing or lifted shingles, one failed flashing, a small leak. Replacement is usually the better choice when shingles are curling, losing granules across whole slopes, or leaking in several places, or when the roof is near the end of its expected life. A roofer can tell you which by inspecting the deck and underlayment, not just the surface.
Can I repair my own roof?
Some checks and small jobs are reasonable for a careful homeowner: looking from the ground with binoculars, tracing a leak from the attic, clearing gutters from a ladder base. Anything on the roof surface carries fall risk, and WorkSafeBC requires fall protection on work where a fall could be 3 metres, about 10 feet, or more. If you are not sure you can do it safely, have a roofer do it.
What should I do first when my roof leaks?
Contain the water inside: move belongings, place a bucket, and poke a small hole in a bulging ceiling to drain it if it is safe. Then find where it is coming from by checking the attic. A temporary tarp over the area can limit damage until a repair, but only go on the roof in dry, calm weather, and never during a storm.
Why does my roof leak only in heavy or wind-driven rain?
Wind-driven rain pushes water sideways and uphill under laps, which exposes weak flashing, lifted shingles and gaps around vents and chimneys that stay dry in ordinary rain. In the Fraser Valley, atmospheric rivers often bring exactly that combination. A leak that only shows in these conditions usually points to flashing or a wind-lifted shingle, not a hole in the field of the roof.
Rather Have It Done Right?
Fraser Roofing does free roof inspections across the Fraser Valley, from Hope to Abbotsford. See our Emergency Roof Repair service.
Call 604-728-0146More How-To Categories
- Asphalt Shingles (18)
- Metal Roofing (18)
- Torch-On Roofing (9)
- EPDM Rubber Roofing (8)
- TPO and PVC Roofing (8)
- Flat Roof Details (8)
- Flashing Details (16)
- Roof Valleys (8)
- Chimneys (10)
- Skylights (9)
- Ventilation and Attics (10)
- Tear-Off, Decking and Underlayment (10)
- Roof Edges, Fascia and Soffit (6)
- Roofing Tools (17)
- Roof Safety Setup (6)
- Specialty Roofing (6)
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