This is a Hammer: DIY leaky roof fix

Q: It looks like my house isn’t holding up too well this winter. After noticing a water stain on an upstairs ceiling, I went into the attic and found water stains on several boxes and a general damp smell. The roof is still wet, and I don’t feel safe going outside. How can I deal with this? — George in Virginia

A: Climbing onto an icy (or wet) roof is definitely not safe, but you need to stop water from entering. You can set up a temporary patch from inside the attic, but it is very temporary — you’ll need to check it frequently until warmer or less-wet weather allows proper roof repairs.

In the attic, trace the water leak to its source. It can occur farther up a pitched roof and trickle down the rafters to drip elsewhere. If the water stains follow a path, trace it up to where the watermarks end and check that area of the roof’s underlayment for damage, holes or apparent water entry points. Sometimes as a hard rain comes, and you will be lucky (or unlucky) enough to see water actually dripping through.

Now that you’ve located the leak (or leaks), you need to control the direction of the drip, so it no longer runs down the rafters but instead into a bucket to catch the water. Do this by placing a large nail in the center of the leak and tapping it through the roof’s sheathing until it reaches the shingle outside.

Underneath the nail, place a bucket to catch drips. Now the water isn’t running all over the attic.

Next, put on a dust mask and cut away water-damaged insulation from around the hole. This clears the area you need to patch and helps prevent mold growth.

Let the area dry for a day or two; hopefully much of the ice and snow will melt from the rooftop during this time. You need the underside of the roof to be fairly dry so a patch will hold. Once the area around the hole is dry to the touch, you can patch it.

Remove the nail from the hole. Make sure the area is very dry. You might want to warm it slightly with a hair dryer if it’s a cold day, so that the patch material adheres.

Fill the hole with roofing cement or roof-patch compound (available at home-improvement stores — you’ll need just a small amount) and smooth out to the sides. With spring coming, this small plug might be all you need. But some DIYers add a little insurance by cutting a thin sheet of plywood into a square that extends a couple inches beyond the hole on each side, and tacking that tightly against the hole using roofing cement (not nails).

Mark the patched area with brightly colored chalk or some other easy-to-see material. When the weather clears or warms, you or a roofing professional must inspect the roof to locate and repair the damage, as the patch will give you only a few months’ reprieve. The roof may be damaged in other areas, or there could be undetected water problems as well.

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