How to Fix a Leaky House Roof

Find the leak. Go into the attic while it is raining and try to pinpoint the leaking area of the roof. Use a flashlight to look for water dripping from the roof. Look for a hole or crack through which water is entering. Wait for the rain to stop before filling in the hole.

Load a caulking gun with silicone caulking material. Wipe the hole or crack in the roof dry with a rag. Fill the hole in with the caulking material. Silicone caulking is waterproof, and will form a seal in the roof that the water cannot penetrate.

Climb onto the roof. Look for damaged or missing shingles in the area of the roof above where you repaired the hole. Observe shingles that are curling up from the roof, or are splitting apart. These need to be replaced.

Remove the damaged shingle. Split the shingle down the middle with a hammer and chisel. Pull the pieces of shingle free from the roof with a pair of pliers.

Cut off the old nails that held the shingle in place with a hacksaw.

Place a new shingle onto the roof. Trim the shingle to the proper width with a utility knife. Slide the shingle under the edge of the shingle above it, until it is about 1 inch below the proper position.

Drive two galvanized shingle nails into the top edge of the shingle, just below the edge of the shingle above it. Hammer the nails at an upward angle so the shingle be will in the proper position when you tap it into place.

Place a small wooden block against the bottom edge of the shingle. Tap the wood block up against the shingle with your hammer until it inches its way up into the proper final position beneath the edge of the shingle above it.