How to Cover Your Roof in a Leaky Area

Locate the source of the leak in the attic ceiling. The authors of “The Everything Fix-It Book” recommend passing a wire through the hole so you can identify it easily when you are on the roof. If you cannot find a hole, drive a long nail through the ceiling in the area where you see the leak.

Climb onto the roof with a ladder. If your roof is sloped at a 5 to 12 pitch, harness yourself to the roof with a safety line and belt. Walk across the roof to the wire you pushed through the ceiling. If you could not locate a hole in the attic ceiling, walk along the roof from the area you marked with a nail until you discover a hole.

Unroll a section of the tarp. Ensure that it is enough to cover the eaves, the damaged section of the roof and the pitch. Add 4 feet to this measurement and cut the tarp.

Wrap one edge of the tarp around a 2-by-4 strip of wood. The strip should be longer than the edge of the tarp by 2 feet. Place the wrapped strip against the roof. Secure the tarp to the strip with nails. Place another 2-by-4 on top of the wrapped strip and nail both together.

Place the nailed strips along the eaves of the roof. Pull the rest of the tarp over the ridge and down the slope of the roof.

Roll the other end of the tarp around a 2-by-4. Place a second wood strip on top of the wrapped strip and nail both together.

Place more strips of wood along the side edges of the tarp. Allow a spacing of up to 10 inches between each strip. Nail the wood down to keep the tarp in place.