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One of the worst types of damage is flooding due to a roof leak. A roof leak can wreak havoc on a home in just a few minutes. While roof leaks are serious, most of them can be easily repaired with minimal cost and time. Many homeowners allow their roof leak to continue causing extensive damage to the roof, ceiling, as well as creating a health hazard due to the fact that a leaky roof can spawn mold and mildew.

The first step to repairing a roof leak is to first find the source of it. Roof leaks usually occur frequently at the following places:

• Skylights
• Chimneys
• Flashings  

Roof leaks may also occur due to:

• A low spot on the roof where water collects
• Debris such as leaves and branches where water collects
• Ice or snow where water collects and melts
• Missing shingles on the roof

 If a leak is recognized, clear the area of any home belongings, for instance electronic equipment furniture, etc. Place a bucket to collect the water for the time being. Once you can clearly see where the water is dripping from the ceiling, take a ladder and look at the roof in that area. You might easily see a part of the roof that has a broken shingle; you might also see debris, loose flashings, etc.

Once you solve the cause of the leak, you will be able to figure out the proper way to fix it. If you are not handy, then your best bet is to forgo fixing the roof yourself and contact a professional. It should be noted that you shouldn’t try to fix your roof in a thunderstorm due to the threat of being struck by lighting or being pushed off the roof by a strong gust of wind.

Fixing a Roof Damaged by Debris

Many roofs begin to leak because there is debris on the roof such as leaves or ice that is stuck in a low spot melting. By cleaning away this debris, you can usually stop the leak. However, please note, this is only a quick fix, there is still usually damage to the roof that should be fixed so that another leak does not happen.

Fixing a Roof with Loose or Missing Shingles

If your roof leak is caused by loose or missing shingles, you can usually quickly and cost effectively fix your roof by replacing those shingles. First, locate the missing shingles. Count how many shingles are missing or loose. If you can, remove one shingle as a sample to take to the home improvement store. You should note that an exact match in color might not be available since most shingles fade over time.

Besides the shingle, make sure that the felt underneath the shingles is in good shape and not damaged. If the felt is torn, it should be removed and replaced. You can easily replace felt by adhering it with a staple gun. For best results, use 15 pound roof felt and overlap it from the bottom up, just as your shingles are set. If your roof is made from wood shakes, you can follow the above directions, using 30 pound shake liner instead of the 15 pound roof felt.

Repair a Roof with Loose or Missing Metal Flashings

Metal flashings are another common item that can cause a roof leak. Metal flashings are used around plumbing pipes, flue pipes, attic vents, skylights, etc. Flashings can come loose from time to time, so a good way to prevent a roof leak is to check them seasonally and tighten any flashings that have loosened. Every flashing should have a proper tight and continuous seal otherwise it can be the cause of a roof leak.

Metal flashings can be fixed simply with roofing tar, silicone or rubber sealants. Before applying these items, make sure that the area is dry and clean. Any flashing that is cracked, broken or dented should be replaced even if it has not developed a leak yet.

When replacing damaged metal flashing keep in mind that the flashing should always be placed over the shingle or shake. Once again, if the problem that is causing a leak is difficult to reach or too difficult a job for a novice, your best bet is to call a professional.

Leaks can also come from the ceiling, but be caused by plumbing pipes or a leaky window in the attic. Before jumping to conclusions regarding the source of the leak, do a detailed search to figure out where the water is coming from.

Once you’re done repairing the roof, you may have to replace parts of your interior that may have been damaged by water. In certain cases, new ceiling paint can hide damage, however if the ceiling tiles, walls or other items have been damaged with water significantly, it is extremely prudent to replace the damaged area due to the possibility of mold and mildew growth.

By stopping and fixing a leak early on, you can prevent much more damage and save lots of money in the process.

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In case you were wondering why someone would want to make their own cleaner, rather than run to Wal-Mart and simply buy it (as if that isn’t reason enough!): homemade cleaners smell better, work just as well, cut down on packaging, and save you money. Lastly, this is a very simple green step you can take at home, yet the rewards are huge – cleaner indoor air quality and a healthy, happy family.

WHAT SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:

You need very few supplies to make homemade cleaning products. Most of the items you’ll need, you likely have around the house already…

1. A few plain old spray bottles. You can purchase some, or clean out your old ones (the ones that had icky cleaners in them) and reuse them.
2. Box of baking soda.
3. Table salt.
4. Bottle of white distilled vinegar.
5. Good old plain tap H2O.
6. Olive oil.
7. Natural soap.
8. Fresh lemons.
9. Organic essential oil of tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus, lemongrass and rosemary. You don’t need all of them, but having at least a couple on hand is helpful. These are some of the best antiseptic and antibacterial essential oils, plus they smell great. If you’ve never used essential oils before, read Essential Oil Buying Guide and Essential Oil Safety Guide. It’s important that you understand that anyone can have a negative reaction to an essential oil. The posts above explain how to do a skin test – you don’t want to clean with an oil that affects you negatively.
10. Some eco-friendly sponges or cloths. Or simply buy a pack of washcloths, use old cloth diapers, make cloths out of ripped clothes, and so on. If you’re going to clean green, you may as well ditch the paper towels while you’re at it.

EASY, GREEN CLEANING SUPPLY RECIPES:

Window wash: Many people who are die-hard into green cleaning love vinegar and water as a window wash. Simply mix 3 tablespoons vinegar with 2 cups of water (or for a bigger job – 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 gallon water) and spray right on your windows. Vinegar works great on glass, it’s true, however I can’t stand the smell of vinegar, so I hunted down an alternative years ago. You can also use straight fresh lemon juice or club soda to get your windows and other glass items sparkling clean. Spritz your glass with club soda and scrub with recycled newspaper. If you use straight lemon juice use a lint-free cloth to scrub with.

All-purpose disinfectant: Mix 2 cups water, a few drops of natural soap, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender organic essential oil. You can spray this on all kinds of home surfaces – changing tables, cutting boards, toilets, sinks, walls, and more. Just don’t use this on glass, as it will streak. This basic cleaner is so safe and gentle you could literally spray it on your kids, and they’d be fine. I do suggest baths over disinfecting the kiddos though

Scrubbing toilets: Drizzle your toilet bowl with vinegar, lemon juice, or spray on some of your all-purpose disinfectant. Sprinkle with baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Scrub with toilet brush. This mix will also clean sinks perfectly.

Fast non-toxic oven cleaning: You don’t want to use conventional oven cleaners – any product that requires open windows and gloves to use, is not ok to use around your kids (or yourself). The best tip is to not wait to clean your oven when it gets dirty. An old stain is harder to clean. To clean oven stains naturally, sprinkle table salt liberally on the hot spill before your oven cools down. Allow the oven to cool. Grab a damp cloth and rub off the spill.

Mold fighter: Mold is extremely harmful to human lungs. The problem is that once you have mold, you have it, and it can be almost impossible, if not totally impossible to get rid of. Prevention is key. To fight mold from ever occurring, mix two cups of water and three drops of pure organic tea tree essential oil. Once a week, spray your walls with this solution (even behind furniture) and wipe dry. This mixture fights stains and the natural antiseptic qualities of tea tree oil fights mold and mildew.

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via: LifeHacker

So you need to move some large, heavy stuff, but you don’t want to throw out your back? Instead of renting or paying two hundred dollars for your own moving dolly, DIY web site Instructables details how to make your own.

The project requires an old shopping cart and some pretty heavy-duty tools (and the project does require some welding), but it shouldn’t take you more than an hour or two, and you’ll have saved quite a bundle on a dolly. The guide is pretty detailed and takes it step-by-step, so it shouldn’t be remarkably difficult either—in fact, the hardest part is probably finding a shopping cart (although the author mentions that most stores will gladly give you old, soon-to-be-discarded carts).

Hayden’s Note:

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Source: DIY Network

Home-improvement pro Scott Branscom shows how to install a ceramic tile floor.

Time – Several Weekends

Price Range – $500 – $1,000

Difficulty – Moderate to Hard

Tip: You can start the screws in the cement board by tapping the tip in with a hammer. Then use the screw gun to set the screws fully.

Lay out the tile using as many full sheets as possible.

Lay the center section first, then you can tackle the tricky cuts around the edges of the room. Spread as much adhesive as possible before it dries. To determine how quickly the adhesive dries, check the open time on the product container.

If you have any small cuts buy a pair of tile nippers. The key to working with these is to be patient and cut off a little bit at a time (Image 2).

When mixing grout make sure it is creamy and easy to spread. Using the tile sheets, put grout onto the tiles then spread it with a rubber grout float. Let it set for about 20 minutes then wipe the tiles with a damp sponge. Once the grout has hardened, wipe off the haze and buff the tiles with a dry cloth (Image 3).

Make sure to seal the grout to help keep it clean. For new grout, wait a week to 10 days then apply a silicone sealer. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the sealer product selected.
Pattern tile now comes in pre-joined, grout-ready sheets that makes installation easy.

Adding ceramic tile to a home is somewhat time-consuming, but once it’s done, you’re likely to be pleased with the final results.

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