Roof Plumbing Vent Leak

A house's plumbing vent pipes exit the house through the roof, where the vent pipes expel dangerous sewer gases and draw in fresh air. Since the vent pipes exit through the roof with a hole, the pipes have a rubber and metal boot piece that hugs the pipe and attaches to the roof, creating a watertight barrier so moisture does not penetrate the roof. The boot will leak when either the rubber has worn out or the nails holding the boot's flashing to the roof back out.

Hammer
Plumbing vent pipe boot
Pry bar
Drill
Screws
Screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Inspect the installed plumbing vent pipe boot's rubber for cracking or splitting, either of which requires that you replace the old boot with a new one. Pull out the nails from the boot using a hammer and remove it from the roof.
- 2
  Insert the new vent pipe boot's flashing under the shingles that sit above the vent pipe, prying loose any roofing nails holding the bottom of the shingles down using a pry bar. Place the other side of the boot's flashing on top of the roof shingles.
- 3
  Make pilot holes where the nail holes in the vent pipe boot's flashing sit on the roof, drilling through the shingles and into the wood below. Drive screws through the holes in the flashing and into the roof using the guide holes.

How to Remove Old Asphalt Shingles Before Putting on a New Roof

How to Fix Leaky Dormers

Roof Repairs