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UnofficialSlimShady OP t1_iqsk5qw wrote

Reply to comment by Zeddica in Leaky ceiling, poked a hole in the ceiling with a screwdriver, and after 15 minutes the dripping stopped. What's going on? by UnofficialSlimShady

I was going to put a plastic tarp on the roof until I can get a roofer in next week. Anything else I could do?

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rivalarrival t1_iqsmxlv wrote

I used to work in property preservation. That's exactly what I would do. Make sure you cover all the way from the peak down to well below where you think the leak might be.

If the weather isn't conducive to immediate repairs, I would advise laying down the tarps, then using 1x2" furring strips to hold down the edges. Just lay them down on the edges of the tarp, and screw them to the roof.

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trash_recycle t1_iqt615n wrote

Depending on your insurance carrier, your policy and possibly your state, improperly fastening boards via penetrations (screws and nails) can lead to a denial in insurance coverage. Not to mention additional water intrusions. An alternative to this is to lay the tarps over the peak as described but instead of fastening through the roof roll 2x4s in the perimeter of the tarp, fasten additional 2x4s to the wrapped 2x4s. This sandwich the tarp between the boards and is often enough weight on its own to secure the tarps.

In the event of the possibility of heavy wind or additional security for the tarp you'll need sand bags and ropes. Place sand bags on key points on the tarp along the perimeter and criss-cross ropes over the ridge across to the opposite side of the structure and secure them to the ground via additional sandbags, poles, trees.

This method is more difficult to do and significantly more in material costs, but insures good coverage with no new potential for water intrusion via anchors. Also by not anchoring into the roof your potential for the insurance company to say "you negligently caused additional damages" is reduced.

If you know you don't have coverage or a viable claim, use the anchor method above and a tube or two of Henry's roof patch.

I've got 11 years in emergency property restoration (think ServPro/Belfor). Started using this method after SafCo and American Family denied coverage to a handful of our customers during a particularly bad storm and we ended up having to tear off and reroof one side of a customers home.

Edit: clarification for securing tarp to the ground.

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[deleted] t1_iqtu3hr wrote

[deleted]

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Hobywony t1_iqucu3i wrote

Not the houses that Wilson Goode renovated.

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UsedUpSunshine t1_iqu5be5 wrote

Every place I lived in Puerto Rico has flat roofs, but if you have a leak, you generally have a pretty big problem at that point. My grandma’s house has a small layer of concrete and tar. My grandpa said he’s never had a leak and it would be a “devastating cost” if the roof had a leak.

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rivalarrival t1_iqt8uf9 wrote

Insurers are going to try to deny coverage on any grounds they can invent. Merely having a leak in the roof can result in a denial of certain coverage. Failing to adequately anchor the tarp can result in a denial of coverage, as well as open you up to liability if your weighted-and-not-anchored tarp goes flying in a storm and causes further damage to the house, cars, neighboring property, etc.

If it's leaking, the roof needs considerable repair anyway. There's little risk to anchoring the furring strips to the deck. If you're not going to anchor the boards to the roof, don't use them at all. Just tie off the tarp to anchors on the ground.

The more important factor is getting the roof properly repaired as soon as possible.

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mydrivec t1_iqu9jz5 wrote

He doesn't know what to do besides poking a hole in the ceiling and you expect him to determine if the entire roof needs replacing?

Use the sandbag method to be safe mate!

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yacht_boy t1_iqu20za wrote

> If it’s leaking, the roof needs considerable repair anyway.

Not necessarily. Often it's just a missing shingle, bad flashing, or other small fix.

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TravelerMSY t1_iqtptf8 wrote

Yeah. Fastening the tarp down like that is for after a hurricane tears part of the roof off and it’s obviously getting replaced.

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GetSecure t1_iqt82ce wrote

I did this as a temporary measure on my shed, lasted 5 years...

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Wightly t1_iqu0q7d wrote

Just be aware that where the leak is on the inside of your ceiling does not necessarily correspond with where the leak is on top of your roof.

I had a leak in my basement ceiling and the water leak in my kitchen was 6' away. Trying to find a leak at my parents and the water was coming in 20' away from where it was showing on the inside.

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purpleelpehant t1_iqtbt6w wrote

Buy a dehumidifier. If you get insurance involved, they will appreciate it. At least ours did

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jnads t1_iqtiayo wrote

Tarp or if the leak spot is obvious get a tube of roofing caulk (black stuff) from your local home improvement store and temporarily seal it.

Go in the attic in the daytime and turn off your flashlight in the attic and see if you see any daylight (such as plumbing vents). If light comes in water can too.

Typical leak spots are where there are interruptions in your roof, such as vents, chimneys, etc.

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Asuyu t1_iqtxdp1 wrote

Use a dehumidifier if you have one.

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guter567 t1_iqty64f wrote

Make sure your roof is clean, first and foremost. If you have a lot of build-up I'd be willing to bet that's causing it. Especially if it only leaks when it's raining particularly hard

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