Whether you’re dealing with a stealthy roof leak that’s slowly creating a water stain on your ceiling or a cinematic one that’s gushing water and requires lots of buckets, no one wants to deal with a leaky roof. But if you’re a particularly handy homeowner, you might feel up for the challenge of finding and fixing your own roof leak.

It’s always recommended to leave roofing projects to the professionals for your own safety and so that you don’t void any warranties, but you can proceed with caution if you feel confident and able to perform your own DIY roof repair.

This article will help you learn how to:

Find the source of the roof leak 🔎
File an insurance claim if desired 📋
Perform various DIY roof repairs to fix the leak 🔨

Step 1: Locate the Roof Leak

Before you can repair a roof leak, you have to narrow down where the issue is coming from first. Start in your attic (or the upper floor of your house if you don’t have an attic). Look for signs that can point you to the source of the leak, such as:

Water stains
Musty smells
Actively dripping water
Mold growth
Light peeking through your attic

Roof leaks like to travel. These indicators may point you to the approximate area of the leak source, or the issue may be stemming from a completely different area. Unfortunately, you won’t know for sure until you climb up on your roof.

You’ll need to use a steady ladder and the help of a friend to get on your roof. (Never go on your roof in rain, snow, or extreme temperatures.) Start by looking in the general area of the attic evidence you found. Look for issues like:

Cracked shingles
Blown-off shingles
Rusted or damaged flashing
Shingles lifting from the edges
Clogged or damaged gutters

If you notice any of these problems up front, it’s safe to assume that you’ve found the source of your leak. But if you can’t seem to find any signs of damage, you may have to create your own rainstorm.

Yeah, you heard us correctly. Create your own rain! You can use a garden hose to spray water on your roof. Remain in one section at a time for a few minutes. Make sure you have a friend or family member in your attic who can call out or text you if water begins to drip. Then, you can narrow your search to that area.

Step 2: Consider Filing an Insurance Claim Before Proceeding

Once you’ve found the roof damage, take a pause before launching into a DIY repair. If your roof damage was caused by a storm, you may be eligible for insurance coverage. Most homeowners insurance plans cover damage caused by:

Wind
Hail
Fire
Vandalism
Other “Acts of God”

Keep in mind that you need to act fast after noticing roof damage if you want the best chance of having your claim approved. You’ll also want to take plenty of pictures and provide documentation to go along with your claim.

Once you file an insurance claim, an insurance adjuster will come directly to your property to inspect your roof. If your claim is approved, you will receive coverage for any repairs (beyond your deductible).

If you want to file an insurance claim, do not attempt DIY roof repairs. Doing so will void your eligibility for coverage.

Step 3: Decide Which DIY Roof Repair Is Appropriate

If you don’t want to file an insurance claim and are still set on performing your own repairs, you have a few options. Usually, roof damage comes in the form of broken or missing shingles or damaged flashing. Your repair options include:

Replacing missing shingles
Replacing damaged flashing
Tarping your roof

How to Replace a Damaged or Blown-Off Shingle

If you notice a cracked, lifting, or completely missing shingle, follow these steps:

Purchase a replacement shingle in the same brand and color.
Safely use a pry bar to lift up the damaged shingle as well as the edge of the shingle above it.
Remove the damaged shingle and old nails, and set them off to the side.
Slide the replacement shingle into place.
Secure the shingle with roofing cement and a roofing nail in each corner.
Re-secure the shingle above with roofing cement and nails.

Steps to Replace Damaged Flashing

Flashing is a thin metal material that gets installed in areas that are prone to pooling water. This includes roof valleys, chimneys, skylights, and drip edges (eaves). If the flashing is loose or damaged, it can let in water. Flashing repairs are best left to the professionals, as they require more knowledge, materials, and skill. But if you want to attempt your own repair, follow these steps:

Purchase the right kind of replacement flashing.
Remove the shingles in a 4-foot area around the flashing by using a pry bar.
Remove the damaged flashing with a pry bar or drill gun.
Set the new flashing into place and secure it with roofing cement and nails.
Reinstall the shingles around the area by lining them up accurately, laying roofing cement, and nailing them down.

How to Tarp Your Own Roof

Sometimes, you just want to stop the leak temporarily until a professional roofing contractor can make high-quality repairs. (This is what we recommend!) Some roofers perform emergency service, but sometimes you’ll have to wait a day or two until a contractor can come to your property.

If you’re really dealing with an emergency, and no one is able to perform an emergency repair, you can attempt to tarp your own roof by following these steps:

Purchase a tarp big enough to cover the damaged area and then some.
Have a buddy help you lay it taut over the damaged area.
Secure it with sandbags or cinder blocks. Or, you can wrap the edges around wood planks and nail the planks to your roof.

Leave Roof Leaks to the Professionals!

Attempting your own roof repair is valiant, but it often doesn’t go how you want it to. You don’t want to risk injury by being on top of your roof, and you also don’t want to deal with the ramifications of performing the repair incorrectly. This could void your warranty or leave you with a larger issue than you started with. Or both!

Instead, call a professional roofing company like Scro’s Roofing at the first sign of a roof leak. With over 25 years of experience, our skilled team can repair your roof in no time and ensure a long-lasting result.

Call or text us today for a free roof repair consultation!

We had significant hail damage due to the May 2016 hail storm in Cary, and warded off all the storm chasers that came through our area for 2 months after. I called Scro’s Roofing after the insurance adjusted had written off the roof, and they worked us into their busy schedule. Amazing job done by an amazing and hard-working crew. I was impressed by the way they used tarps to protect the landscaping around the house, and Patricia was pretty particular about cleaning up after the crew. Danny was a pleasure to work with, and he provided several improvements to our roof like a installing a chimney cricket and ridge vents. We used Moire black shingles and the roof looks...

Larry O. | Cary, NC

In life you get what you pay for and this is certainly true with Scro’s Roofing. There are so many “fly be night” roofing companies out there who do not have the long standing customer service and support that a local roofing company can offer. Everyone should take the time to educate themselves about the roofing process and the track record of the company, as this is a very larger investment and an area where you don’t want to cut corners. The team at Scro’s Roofing provided me with many educational links and never pressured me into a sale. They wanted to ensure that I fully understood the process and trusted that I would make an intelligent decision. This sharing...

Kevin A. | Wake Forest, NC

Scro’s Roofing installed a new roof on our home and everything went exactly as planned and scheduled. The installation crew covered all our plants and deck when removing the roof and then cleaned up perfectly when the job was done. We were kept informed all along the job from start to finish so we knew how and when everything would be done. I’ve never experienced a contractor, a company or an owner like Danny who worked with us on every detail. Further, we had gotten several other quotes with Scro’s being the best. This project couldn’t have been done more smoothly… We greatly appreciate Danny the owner and Sarah our scheduling contact. They both were there for all and every...

Joe V. | Cary, NC

We just had our roof done by Scro’s Roofing, and we are very happy with the results. Danny and his office were very helpful in answering all of my questions. I did a good bit of research beforehand, and after talking with Danny, I had a lot of confidence that they are up to date on best practices and latest materials. In particular, I liked that they hand nail the shingles, use a synthetic underlayment instead of tar paper, install a drip edge, and provide a 10-year labor warranty. The thing about getting a new roof is that most people may not find out whether the installer did a bad job or used inferior materials for 5-10 years when they...

Matt B. | Cary, NC

The big hail storm of May 2, 2016 did extensive damage to our roof (and Leaf-Guard gutters as well). Our insurance company appraised the roof and said it all needed to be replaced. My first choice was again Scro’s Roofing. I was not about to use one of the “storm chasers” that descended on our neighborhood like carpetbaggers from who knows where. Danny, the owner of Scro’s Roofing looked up my record from seven years ago and was able to give me an estimate almost immediately from the information he already had on file. Their estimate was within a couple percent of what our insurance had already written a check which made the decision to go with Scro’s Roofing again...

David C. | Cary, NC

I had a great experience working with Danny and his team. Danny even recommended a less expensive roofing product based on our needs. Sarah was so helpful and accommodating throughout the process. I wish all home repairs/renovations were this easy and professional. A wonderful company to work with!

Kate L. | Cary, NC