Fixing Leaky Roof Vents

Rarely will caulk or roof cement cure a leaky roof at least for very long.

Fixing leaky roof vents.

If your roof vent leaks during heavy rain the rain may be blowing up under the hood and into the vent. This old house general contractor tom silva shows how to create a watertight seal around a vent pipe. They can also have holes put through them which is a more obvious roof leak to fix. That means replacing or repairing existing flashing instead of using any type of sealant as a leak stopper.

Small nail holes left behind from old vents satellite dish brackets or anything previously attached to the roof can allow water to enter and cause damage for years before leaking is noticed. Sealing tapes can be placed underneath the vent to act as an added layer of protection. And on occasion a hard driving rain with whipping wind will cause roof vents to leak water. Fixing roof leaking around a vent pipe although caulking around the roof vent can fix the problem for a while it s not a permanent solution.

The immediate thing to do is to contain dripping water from the leak. Moreover this can cause more problems since it may mask the damage that s already been done to your home by the leak. It this is the case you need to create a breathable shield to slow the driving rain drops while still allowing air flow. This is how to stop a roof leak in the rain.

Cut away the old caulk from around the vent pipe. See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe to. How to fix a leaking roof vent screen guard shape metal screen wire to form a barrier around the outside of your vent hood to stop hard driving rain flexible roof sealant apply flexible roof sealant black jack roof patch rubberized roof cement from a can or tube to fill holes gaps flashing and loose shingles around roof vent. Use a pocketknife to scrape rough edges and sharp points from upper end of plastic vent pipe.

Use the knife blade to scrape the pipe clean and smooth. You should always attempt a mechanical leaky roof fix whenever possible. Only use caulk for very small holes and when flashing isn t an option as a leak stopper. As you won t be able to fix the roof vent leak from outside emergency fix must be done from under the roof or the attic.

For leaks around vents take off the vent and re apply the sealant before putting the vent back on. Fix a leaky roof vent pipe with a oatey rubber gasket.