If you can see water flowing out of a crack in a wall or floor, you know that the source is ground water. If water is not flowing out of a crack, you’ll have to make a test for dampness in your basement to see if the water is due to condensation or water from the ground. To do this:

1. Cut two 12in squares of plastic sheeting or aluminum foil.
2. Tape a peace to the inside of one of the basement walls and the other to the basement floor.
3. Wait 2 days.
4. Remove the plastic or aluminum foil.
5. If the wall or floor that was covered by the square is dry then you have condensation. If the wall or floor that was covered by the squares are wet, you have a ground water leak.

Controlling Condensation In The Basement:

You will need to lower your basements air humidity by:

1. Raise the temperature in the basement.
2. Make sure all vents of moist air, like your clothes dryer, are vented to the outside.
3. Place a dehumidifier in the basement.
4. Insulate basement walls.
5. Insulate cold water pipes.
6. Open basement windows, weather permitting.

Controlling Ground Water Leaks In The Basement:

1. Gutters and downspouts should be directed to clear water away from the foundation of the home.
2. If you have a leaking crack, you will need to call a professional to fix the basement foundation.

Ice Dams: These dangerous dams form at the eaves and can cause water form melting snow to back up under the shingles and leak into your home. Ice dams can result form alternate thawing and freezing of snow on the roof due to periods of warm days and cold nights. Or from heat loss through the roof of a poorly insulated and badly ventilated house, causing the snow to melt and then in cold weather to freeze again at the colder eave area.

Air Sealing: Your best defense against ice dams on your roof is to seal off all the places where warm air can leak into the attic from the house. To determine whether moisture problems are generated by interior or exterior sources, check the attic during or just after a storm. If there are no water leaks then check around all light fixtures that penetrate the attic floor and around ducts, plumbing stacks, and attic hatches. If light comes through any joints or you feel a draft, use caulking or weather-stripping to seal the space and create a solid air barrier to the attic floor.

Soffit Vents: These are your second line of defense against attic moisture and work most efficiently when all air leakage problems have been corrected. To prevent ice dams resulting from poor ventilation, install soffit vents and gable vents. When used together, they vent out warm attic air that might  melt snow on the roof and cause ice dams. Electric exhaust fans actually pull warm air from the house and can cause damage and should be avoided.

Insulation: More insulation means a colder, less moist attic. Make sure that your insulation is distributed evenly and that there is full coverage of insulation through out the attic. If any of the insulation is damp, find the leak responsible and repair, then replace the insulation. Insulation should never touch the roof or block vents.

Eave Reinforcement: For extra protection on a sections of the roof where ice dams often form, you can reinforce the eave area by installing a sheet of roll roofing or rubberlike membrane under the shingles. This extends 2 inches inside the wall line.  

Snow Buildup: Snow tends to slide off roof like an avalanche, tearing gutters off, ripping away roofing materials, and smashing plants below. Below are two suggestions for handling a snow buildup problem on your roof.

 De-Icing Tapes: Electrically heated cables installed along roof eaves and in gutters and downspouts, allow for proper drainage of melting snow and ice, and help to prevent ice dams.

These tapes are attached to shingles in a zigzag pattern and are plugged into a waterproof electrical outlet. Once hated, they create drainage channels for water that otherwise would back up behind an ice dam or freeze inside the gutters and downspouts.

Snow Guards: To help hold snow in place, attach a metal snow guard in staggered rows along the roof. Snow guards come in many lengths including  narrow ones for use over doorways.

Wood Putty: Wood putty is available in both stick or paste form. Wood Putty fills gouges, cracks and nail holes in wood. Putty can be sanded and painted over to hide any signs of a touch up or repair. Wood Putty comes in a multiple rang of colors to match most woods, but you may have to add extra coloring to the putty and bend to matching particular finishes.

Plaster Fills: Plaster Fills allow you to patch large or deep holes and cracks in plastered or gypsum walls. 

Spackling Compound: Spackling compound fills small cavities, narrow cracks, and nail holes within your walls.

Patching a crack and hole:

Fine cracks, nail holes, and small cuts in plaster walls usually can be repaired with spackling compound.

To patch a wide cracks or hole apply two layers of patching plaster fills plus a layer of fine textured finishing plaster. The first layer should lay more than half the depth of the hole, leaving enough space for the next tow layers. Let each layer need to be dried completely before adding the next layer.

To fill a hole without a base you’ll have to install a metal mesh or a ready made patch before adding the plaster fills.

Finishing the patch:

Matching an existing texture requires the treatment of the still-wet finishing plaster. You’ll have to experiment with the wet plaster to achieve a good match.

For a smooth surface, pull a metal gloat or wide putty knife dipped in water across the plaster. When the plaster is dry, sand to remove minor imperfections then prime and paint.

For textured surfaces, use a paintbrush, household sponge,  or a wire brush. Coat or swirl the plaster in a uniform random or overlapping pattern. To make peaks in the plaster use a brush or a tool with bristles. Once peaks start to stiffen up, gently drag a clean metal float over the surface of the plaster to smooth out the peaks. Once the plaster is dry, prime and paint.

Don’t walk on the roof any more than you absolutely have to, you may cause more damage to the roof and will increase your chances of an accident. Don’t walk on tile or slate roofs do to the fact they are too slippery and breakable to safely work on.

Don’t walk on steep pitched roofs: Let a professional make any repairs on a sharply pitched roof. If your roof slopes more than 25 degrees or rises more than 4 inches vertically for every 12 horizontal inches, the roof is too unsafe to work on and you will need to call a professional.

Wear: Wear loose, comfortable clothing and non slip rubber-soled shoes with good ankle support when working on the roof.

Work on the roof only in dry days:  Calm warm weather conditions are the only conditions you can safely work on a roof.  A wet roof can be unsafe conditions with a sudden wind you can be knock you off balance.

Never: Never work on the roof when lightning is around.

Repairing damaged shingles: When repairing a roof with brittle or old roofing materials and rotted decking never place your weight on the damaged shingles you are repairing as a safety precaution. You may fall right through the roof.

No power lines: Stay well away from power lines. Make sure neither your body nor the equipment you use to fix the roof comes into contact with the power lines.

Sleeve Clamp:

Adjustable Hose Clamp: Place an adjustable hose clamp over a rubber blanket over a small pipe leak and tighten the clamp.

C-Clap: Lock a C-clamp and a small block of wood on a rubber blanket for a small leak.

Epoxy Putty: Submit an application of epoxy putty to a leaking pipe joint (after turning off the water) using a putty knife or your fingers. Let the joint dry before turning back on the water.

Quick Fix-Up

Stopping A Small Leak: You can temporarily plug a small pipe leak with breaking off a pencil point in the leak hole. Then wrap the pipe with at least three layers of electrical tape, extending the tape 3 inches on each side of the leak.

Curled Shingle: To Flatten a curled shingle, apply roofing cement under the lifted portion of the shingle and then press the curled shingle in place. Tack with roofing nails and cover nail heads with roofing cement.

Hairline Crack: Seal a fine crack with roofing cement or asphalt paint. Place the roofing cement or asphalt paint along the crack with a putty knife. Cement is also sold in cartridges and can be applied with a caulking gun for your convenience.
Tear: Liberally spread roofing cement underneath the tear. Press the shingle back in place and nail each side of the tear with roofing nails. Cover nails and the tear with roofing cement.

Emergency Patch: From inside of the home, apply a special roof patch to the leak using a putty knife or caulking gun. Work the special roof patch thoroughly on the leak until it is completely absorbed.

Sheet Metal Replacement For Damaged Or Missing Shingle

Temporary Shingle: If you have a missing or damaged shingle that is causing a leak, wait till the roof is dry then replace the damaged shingle with a 2 by 2 foot piece of galvanized sheet metal. To keep the sheet metal in place, push the sheet metal beneath a row of shingles above the damaged ones.

Water Diverter: If a leak appears during a rain storm and is too wet to patch, place a nail through the leak on the inside of the home. The nail will direct the water straight down. Place a bucket below the directed water flow. Once the leak becomes dry, apply the emergency patch method.

How To locate The Leak:

Water leaks tend to show up far from its point of origin. This is due to the fact that the water works its way throughout the layers of the roofing materials and down through rafters, then collects in a puddle in the attic or other areas of the home. Usually leaks begin at the roofs most vulnerable spots like a damaged shingles, eaves, and flashings.

Inspect from the inside: Using a flashlight to examine the beams and rafters of your attic. Look for any water stains, wet wood, soft spots, or moisture that may indicate a leak. Once you find the leak mark the spot with chalk so you may go back and find the leak more easily. Next poke a wire though the leak and out through the roof.

Inspect from the outside: Once you are on the roof look for the wire. Check the surrounding roof structure for traces of wear, broken or missing shingles, or loosen nails. Check the eaves for dry rot. Once you have located the leak, make the necessary repairs.

TIP: The actual outside leak may be above the wire that was poked out though the leak within the home.