Resealing House Roof Vents

Improperly sealed roof vents allow moisture on the roof to seep into the attic, leading to wet spots on the ceilings inside the house. Stopping the leaks involves your climbing onto the roof, which you should avoid doing during bad or cold weather. Roof vents come in a variety of shapes and with different purposes. Vents that are pipes have a collar piece, while vent caps do not. All roof vents must have a flat metal flashing around them, which helps seal against water intrusion.

New vent collar
Pry bar
Rubber-washered screws
Screwdriver
Roofing cement

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the rubber or metal collar around the base of the roof vent, if one is present, to see if it is damaged. Pull up on the collar if you see signs of damage, and slide on a replacement, pushing it firmly against the vent’s flashing.
- 2
  Look over the vent’s flashing, verifying that it sits below the shingles above the vent and above the shingles that sit to the side and below the vent. If the flashing’s configuration is different, pry up nails on the shingles with a pry bar and reposition the flashing.
- 3
  Pull out any loose nails along the edge of the vent’s flashing, using the pry bar. Drive rubber-washered screws through the mounting holes in the flashing and into the roof, providing a more secure anchor.
- 4
  Lift up the shingles, by hand, that sit over the flashing, if possible. Spread an even layer of roofing cement onto the flange and then press the shingles firmly against the flange.

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