My roof has sprung a leak

STAPLE PLASTIC OVER A DAMAGED ROOF A storm-damaged roof can be temporarily repaired by covering the hole with plastic sheeting, available at home centers. Fold over the edges of the plastic and staple them to sound roofing shingles surrounding the opening. Note: A tarp, particularly a plastic one, is very slippery when wet, so be careful when working with one on a roof.

First, find the leak’s source. Trace it back from the inside by looking for water marks on the underside of the roof and for cone-shaped impressions on the surface of fiberglass insulation. Follow the trail upward and mark the uppermost location with a waterproof marker. Check the suspicious spot for dampness or dripping water the next time it rains.

Try to contain an active leak before it does serious damage to the attic joists and the walls below. If the water is dripping down a rafter, for example, divert it temporarily with a rag “wick” until you can stop the leak. Tack a long strip of cloth to the rafter in the water’s path and let the lower end of the cloth strip dangle down a few inches. Set a bucket under the lower end. The strip will redirect the minor river into the bucket.

If there are several active leaks in one room that you can’t get to the roof to fix, capture the dripping water in a catch basin made of plastic sheeting (the kind painters use for drop cloths, for instance). Turn up the sides of the plastic and tape or staple them to the walls to create a large, shallow bowl that can contain the water. Mop up the water frequently so that it won’t overflow.

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