If you’ve discovered a leak in your roof, don’t despair. There are many fixes you can do yourself to stop the leak and prevent further damage to your roof—and most of them won’t break the bank. Here are 10 ways to fix a leaky roof cost effectively.

1. Find the Source

The first step is to find where the water is coming in. The best way to do this is to locate all your roof drains and scupper drains, then mark where they are pointing. You can use a chimney or sink drain for this purpose. Once you’ve done that, climb back up on your roof using a small ladder, crawl past your shingles and see if there’s any obvious signs of leaks. If one side of the roof is getting wetter than the other side, it means water has found its way through your shingles or flashing around them. 

2. Keep Gutters Clean

Your gutters are designed to take rainwater away from your roof in an effortless fashion—and they are great at doing so. But if they get blocked by leaves and other debris, the water will have no way of escaping, meaning it can find its way into your house instead. Make sure you clean out your gutters once every year or two. Also try to ensure that downspouts are directed at least 10 ft away from the edge of your roof to avoid any pooling.

3. Replace Damaged Shingles

When trying to fix a leaky roof cost effectively, replacing shingles is one of the best things you can do since it’s highly unlikely you’ll require a permit for this kind of work—even if it’s on a pitched roof! Simply remove all cracked or shingles in an area that’s the size of your fist to prevent water damage while you’re working. Then take off all nails and replace them with new galvanized nails, lay a layer of underlayment, then seal the bottom edge with roofing cement. If it’s an older roof that needs replacing, you might also want to consider getting rid of asphalt shingles completely and opting for long-lasting metal or tile roofs which are nearly impermeable to water—especially when combined with upgraded underlayments.

4. Stop Gaps at Skylights

Skylights are designed to provide light into otherwise gloomy rooms, but they also provide rain access into your attic space! Just like shingle replacements, this isn’t something that requires a permit in most situations