Roof Leak Between Plywood

Trowel the roofing tar into the leak on the underside of the roof deck using a putty knife.

Roof leak between plywood.

If a leak is difficult to find enlist a helper and go up on the roof with a garden hose. If your roof leaks when it rains hard you may have an issue in any one of the following areas. Start low soaking the area just above where the leak appears in the house. Push the shingle or plywood into the tar and trowel more roofing tar around the edges of the patch.

Rotted plywood can cause a number of issues. To find the source of a roof leak. Look in the attic with a flashlight for evidence like water stains trhen trace them up the roof and rafters to the entry point. Isolate areas when you run the hose.

Slow roof leaks can be deceptive because what you see might seem minor. Horizontal joints between stacked sheets of plywood siding use something called z flashing to keep water out. Walk carefully on the ceiling joists in the attic or use a sheet of plywood to walk on so you will not accidentally put a hole in the ceiling panel. And all the rest of the roof is fine.

If it hasn t rained or snowed lately these dark areas may not be easy to spot. Off the roof many other connections depend of flashings for water leak prevention. Common areas of roof leaks during rain. Skylight leaks in heavy rain are a common source for roof leaks.

Unless the roof is leaking the line you see on the roof is an aesthetic problem but the cupped plywood is putting an added strain on the shingles either side of the visible line. If you notice areas of black mold however it s likely that this is where your roof has a leak. Im pretty handy but have never done roofs. Moisture causes wood to rot and rotten wood absorbs water even more readily than fresh wood.

Make the final repair as soon as weather permits. Roof leaks are confusing to diagnose. I went in the attic to see it and took a picture there is a black area about 4ftx4ft maybe less. Also see if there are any areas on the underside that are darker than others.

Check for any signs of light coming through the plywood to find any holes. If the leak isn t obvious have a helper watch in the attic while you get on the roof with a garden hose. But what you can t see might be devastating. Repairing a roof leak from the inside is a temporary fix only.