How to repair leaks in plastic corrugated roofing

Corrugated plastic roofing is both cheap and versatile, making it a popular choice for many homeowners. Like all roofs, corrugated plastic roofs will begin to leak as time goes by. This is a common repair for any roof, and it is important to repair these leaks as part of your regular home maintenance. You have the option of calling a professional to fix the leaks, or you can do the job yourself by following a few standard steps.

Gain access to the roof. Lean a ladder securely against the roof. If the ladder comes with a safety latch, make sure its in the locked position before climbing to the top.

Locate the leaks. Finding a leak in a roof can be a tricky procedure. Once up on the roof, recall any location in your house you remember leaking. This will enable you to have a better perspective on where the leak is located. Quite often the source of the leak can be a few feet away so expand your search if you do not immediately locate the leak.

Use a scrap piece of cloth to clean the area where the leak is. Apply a generous coat of lacquer. Follow up by using the sealing tape. Paste the tape onto the area where the leak is located. Make sure that the sealing tape is one that is designed to patch metal materials. If not the tape tends not to stick well.

Press down on the seal and, with the aid of a rubber roller, add more pressure by rolling over it in different directions. If the patch is too large, the best option would be to substitute the entire damaged sheet with a new one. Use a hammer to pull out the nails of the damaged sheet. Place the new sheet in such a way that it overlaps the sheets next to it and then proceed to nail it in to place. Cover the nails with tar or roof sealant to prevent them from leaking.