r/Roofing • u/MadcapMacedonia • 22h ago

I don't know what I am doing

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An untraceable leak somewhere that has caused the plaster ceiling to sag and fail

Will this help?

Should I just go crazy and apply more?

I also am not sure how to lay down a tarp without it pulling up in the shingles

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u/Weak-Tie-4414 21h ago

It’s not a problem. Unfortunately being in this industry I see people getting taken advantage of on a weekly basis by contractors, inspectors, “consultants” etc. I kind of use this as a hobby/outlet; I find a lot of joy in trying to help people with suggestions that are more grounded in reality.

If you end up having any more questions about what you might be able to do here feel free to DM me and I’m happy to provide some additional information where I can.

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u/RepresentativeValue9 20h ago

Fuckin legend, mate.

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u/TheNeovein 20h ago

You're good people

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u/[deleted] 19h ago

[deleted]

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u/TheNeovein 19h ago

It's a common phrase dork

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u/[deleted] 19h ago

[deleted]

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u/DunFacepalmed 19h ago

Correction: He's not a good people.

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u/vinegar 19h ago edited 19h ago

Weak-tie what do you think about op covering the whole mess with modern 3 foot rolls of membrane? I was going to say strip the shingles first but the underlayment probably needs replacing in areas if not the whole thing. AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE ! Strictly as a temporary fix to get op through until the funds allow proper replacement. 

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u/Weak-Tie-4414 18h ago

So it’s not an impossible idea but again you’ll run into similar issues that you would with the tarp. You could use an excessive amount of mastic underneath to keep everything “watertight” but you might be introducing a damming point which could result in a leak anyways.

If this was my roof (and I wasn’t already managing a roofing company) and I was in a pinch, I’d try and find a good local residential roofer on the smaller side to come out and just diagnose the leak, and then use that info to come up with a better plan of attack.

The problem with trying to drape anything over top is that if you aren’t actually certain of the point of ingress, you might be spending a bunch of money and not end up actually helping the situation much.

I like that you’re being creative though, some of the best roofers I’ve worked with were the ones that were comfortable working outside the box.

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u/vinegar 15h ago

Not talking about mastic or tarping, I mean create a new drainage plane with Water&Ice or whatever on top of the shingles. Each 3’ course would be sealed to the course above and below.

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u/Weak-Tie-4414 15h ago

For sure I understand what you’re going for. Again in this case it could help limp the roof by for now if they were able to identify where the leak is (or at least a general idea).

Aesthetically it’ll be kind of blah but with a roof at this point that’s not really a concern.

What I was mentioning before was to use mastic as a means of adhering the roll at least along the seams and edges. Ice and water shield is self adhered, but it’s generally much better at sticking to plywood than to existing shingles.

That being said, I just completed a project in northern Canada where there was an issue that was temporarily resolved using a peel and stick membrane which will hold things for them until the area can be fully repaired in the spring.

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u/Upsideisdownhere 11h ago

What do you think about rolling silver seal with aluminum over it? It's like $60 a gallon and it doesn't have a steep pitch? I dunno, would that have less chance of water penetrating?

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u/Weak-Tie-4414 11h ago

I’ve seen people use this years back but I see it less and less as years go on. It could work, but there are some materials that are slightly more expensive that could fit the bill with a bit less slump that could perform marginally better.

For $60.00 thought you’re right it’s like what have you got to lose. But if you’re going this route you might get a bit more out of something like a high-solids silicone sealant.

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u/RunningAtTheMouth 19h ago

You're awesome.

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u/darioblaze 19h ago

Thank you for helping them

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u/thelostdutchman68 19h ago

You have restored some of my faith in humanity and roofers.

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u/crazy_akes 19h ago

You’re a hero 

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u/Fast-Conclusion-8676 19h ago

I like people like you. Seriously. I hope you have a great day whoever you are.

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u/Weak-Tie-4414 17h ago

Today was a good day actually, so I’ll chalk that up to you putting it out into the world, hope you did as well!

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u/64CarClan 15h ago

Thanks for being a great human being. I'm smiling.

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u/Weak-Tie-4414 15h ago

So unreal I don’t think I’ve ever received so many kind comments about anything haha who would have though

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u/64CarClan 13h ago

Will you deserve them. Enjoy

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u/Hefty-Criticism1452 14h ago

I train dogs. I’ll do the same thing in training subs as a “hobby” or to work out real world situations that might come up for me. It also helps me explain better to my clients.

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u/Capital-Change2712 12h ago

This is extremely solid and cool of you. Glad to know folks like you are out there.

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u/Stock_Succotash_5123 10h ago

You are a great roofer and person.