Fixing A Leaking Slate Roof

Beware of using asphalt roof mastic on copper flashings it fixes the leak in the short run but corrodes the copper in the long run.

Fixing a leaking slate roof.

That means replacing or repairing existing flashing instead of using any type of sealant as a leak stopper. Use a putty knife to spread the tar into the leaking hole on the inside of your roof. A properly flashed roof valley should have an ice and water shield installed with roofing felt being properly secured over the ice and water. Place the shingle or plywood onto the tar and spread more of the tar around the edges of your patch.

If you don t want to wait for rain to look for the leak try bringing the garden hose up on the roof. Only use caulk for very small holes and when flashing isn t an option as a leak stopper. Map the roof leak. Don t go crazy with the water.

Lead bib slate repair if the roof hasn t got too many mistakes a good method of repair is the lead bib it s simply a section of code 3 or 4 flashing lead cut large enough to sit under the faulty slate or bad overlap to make it waterproof and the repair invisible. You should always attempt a mechanical leaky roof fix whenever possible. Let the wet areas dry and then apply the patch to the underside of the roof with a putty knife. You could make a temporary patch using stick down materials or on some roofs i ve seen roof mastic used in that application.

Then use ice melt product per manufacturer s instructions. Step 5 use a caulking gun to apply caulk to seal any holes that appear in the roof. Once you ve found the leak you can make a temporary leak patch from some plywood or shingle and some roofing tar. Have a helper stationed in the attic with a flashlight looking for moisture.

Use enough of the roof patch to liberally cover the leaky area. Consider investing in a roof heat cable to prevent future issues. If the ice and water shield is missing then you will have to remove the shingles on both sides along the valley put ice and water shield in place and re shingle the roof. Details are at slate roof leaks temporary repair.

Rarely will caulk or roof cement cure a leaky roof at least for very long. Use a roof rake to fix it and remove the first four feet of snow from the roof edge. Run the water over the place where you think the leak might be located.