MAKING
THE REPAIRS:
The roof problem and repair solutions, as detailed above:
Exposed
railheads-
With a broom, clean away the stone/gravel from the repair area.
Further clean the spot with a putty knife or scraper, being careful
not to dig the sharp edges into the roofing. Just scrape away the
dirt. Then sweep the area again. With a putty knife, dip into the
asphalt roofing compound and smear a tad of the compound over the
exposed nail head. Don't skimp; use plenty of compound. Then throw
a handful of fresh stone/gravel over the new compound and press
it into the compound with the flat of the scraper blade. Don't push
down hard or fuss with it. You just want to sink the covering slightly
in the asphalt roofing compound.
Pulled-away
flashing and roofing-
If possible, re-nail the flashing/roofing to narrow the gap. If
not possible, use cartridge asphalt roofing cement in a caulking
gun and fill the void full of the material so it oozes out the top
of the gap. Then lightly trowel the compound with a putty knife
to smooth it.
If
the gap is really wide, the flashing/roofing might have to be replaced.
Wide cracks often can be traced to the house settling on its foundation.
Some settling is a "normal" condition. If the crack is really wide,
or large cracks appear often, better consult a contractor.
Exposed
roofing devoid of stone/gravel-
This, too, can be a normal problem: heavy rains can wash the gravel
into the roof's drainage system and away it goes. This material
must be replaced.
If
the area is small, sweep it with a broom and then trowel on a very
thin layer of asphalt roofing compound. Embed the new stone/gravel
in the compound by pressing it lightly with the flat of a shovel
so it sticks in place.
If
the area is a large one, it is recommended that you thoroughly clean
the roof with a broom and then, with a garden hose, wash away all
debris. When the roof is dry, coat the area with reflective asbestos-aluminum
sealer. The sealer helps stop leaks, and the reflective qualities
of the sealer help keep the roof cooler during the summer months.
You can add stone/gravel to the roof when the sealer dries-spreading
it evenly over the area that you have coated with sealer.
Seams,
junctures, and valleys-
You may be able to just coat the area to stop the leak. Try cleaning
the spot with a broom and scraper, removing all debris around the
crack or worn area. Then trowel on a thick coating of asphalt roofing
cement, feathering out the edges with the trowel. Sprinkle stone/gravel
over the spot and embed the stone/gravel with the flat of the trowel.
Easy does it; press down lightly.
If
the spot feels spongy or the crack is large, chances are the roofing
has pulled away from the roof decking and needs to be replaced.
Use roll roofing or asphalt building paper for the patch. Or, you
can use fiberglass screening the same way. We recommend the barbed
nails for this job.
Nail
pops-
These are common. Drive the popped nail flush with the roofing surface,
and then drive a new roofing nail next to it. Cover both with asphalt
roofing compound for a weather-tight seal.
