Fantastic Services advises on stopping a roof leak

The franchise, which offers customers everything from cleaning to pest control services, recently shared a blog on its website all about fixing a leaking roof - even with no experience.

The weather is unpredictable, but if one thing about British weather in particular can be predicted, it’s the fact that it’s going to rain. The UK is a pretty damp place to be, and sadly, that means roof leaks aren’t uncommon - especially after a torrential downpour. A leaking roof can be extremely stressful (especially if the rain is still falling and the drips are still forming), but thankfully, Fantastic Services is on hand to offer advice.

In the words of the cleaning franchise, “Most roof fixing methods are easy, taking only a couple of minutes and basic skills. Even if you have no idea how to fix a leaking roof or you have no experience in the area, don’t worry!” Fantastic Services then broke down the three different routes that should be taken, depending on whether a customer aims to seal a roof leak, fix a leak from inside or fix a flat roof leak.

When sealing a roof leak, “use a pry bar to remove the nails, then slide the old shingle out”. Scape away “any cement residue” and “level or remove protruding nails”. Then, round the back corners of the new shingle with a utility knife and slide it under the one above, “aligning it with the others on the same row”. Secure by pinning a roofing nail in each corner of the shingle, and then “apply a coat of roofing cement over the nails”.

When fixing a leak from inside, “use a putty knife to spread roofing tar over the leaking point”. Then, “press a piece of shingle or plywood onto the freshly applied tar” and spread more tar around the edges of the area. Once the patch has dried, “surround it with caulking, ensuring it is evenly spread”.

When fixing a flat roof leak, first “inspect your roof and ceiling”. Sometimes, “the leak inside may not be coming from the same spot as the water pooling on the roof”. Then, clean and dry the roof (if water becomes trapped when you’re patching up the roof, it could cause mould growth). Identify the damage, remove the damaged area, and “if blisters are present, gently cut away the damaged layers of the roof membrane”. Spread roofing cement over the affected area, “lay down the membrane flaps and nail them to the roof”. Then, cover the nails with more cement. Find out more about this well-informed franchise via Fantastic Services’ profile page, linked above.