Leakage of the roof is one of the commonest household problems. You may suddenly discover some marks of water trickling down along your walls or drops of water on the floor when there is no such activity within the room. In that case, be sure that the source of water is your leaky roof.

The holes and leaks are not caused all of a sudden; rather these are the results of long-term wear and tear of the roof tiles or shingles. Even though finding out one particular cause for the leakage is a bit difficult task, but one or more of the following may be responsible for a perforation:

• • Aging
  • Holes
  • Missing or overlapping of tiles or shingles
  • Damage in chimney
  • Flashing
  • Clogging in the gutters
  • Skylights

Fixing a problem in the roof is a tough task. Though it is safer to call any of the local roofing contractors, you can definitely try to do it by yourself. Here are the steps you need to follow for conducting roof repair all by yourself:

1) Search for the leak

The first and foremost task is to localize or pinpoint the area of leakage. To start with, look for some damage and discoloration made by water in your walls. You can also trace out the route of water to reach the leak point. But this idea is not always used as some of the watermarks are not prominent enough to be traced or are detached from the source. Again, you can end up discovering a crack or simply dampness in your pillars or beams.

2) Fix the leak

1. For replacing shingles or tiles
   
   • Materials required– Replacement tiles/shingles, crowbar, hammer, roofing nails, roofing adhesive.
   • Procedure– Lift the damaged tile with a crowbar. Remove the nails with which it was fastened. Now cut the new tile/shingle according to the dimensions of the previous. Fasten the new piece with nails, hammer and adhesive.
2. Patching a leaky roof
   
   • Materials required-Crowbar, flashing, caulk, sealing adhesive.
   • Procedure-Lift up the tile or shingle on your roof with a crowbar. If you recognize the hole below, put some caulk in it ensuring its closure. Then put a flashing underneath the shingle. Reseal the shingle properly in its place.
3. Fixing gutter and chimney issues
   • Materials required-Ladder, gloves, sewer cleaners.
   • Procedure- this is relatively simpler, but harder to deal with. You can simply get up to your roof, even at the top of your chimney if required. Clear out the debris and clumps that block your gutter and chimney thoroughly.

Prevention of further leaks in future
It is recommended to conduct at least one seasonal survey of your roof. This can prevent the occurrence of many leakages and damages. You should ensure that your roof is properly ventilated and well insulated. You should clear the gutters regularly to let the water drain away properly. You can also contact the local contractors for this maintenance work. If you do not know any of them, conduct an internet search typing “roofers near me” to get hold of some.Leaky roof is a commonly encountered problem by almost all house-owners. However, a bit more care can actually prevent such unpleasant situation. Roofing contractors London suggests that every house-owner should conduct preventive maintenance on a yearly basis to get over with these troubles as well as to get a strong, heavy and long lasting roof.