A roof's basic purpose is to protect a house from the elements -- keeping rain, snow and other airborne contaminants from entering the house. You can use a plastic tarp to keep contaminants, such as rainwater, from leaking through a hole in the tiles adhered to the roof. Besides the tarp, you'll need supplies from a hardware store and tools that are common to most households, but you won't need special equipment or protective clothing. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Sweep the area where the tiles are leaking through the roof with a broom.
2. Measure the length of the leaking tiles using a tape measure. Write this measurement down. Measure from the leaking tiles to the edge of the roof. Add 4 feet to this measurement. Write this measurement down.
3. Purchase four 2-by-4 boards that match the length of the tiles. Purchase two 2-by-4 boards that match the distance from the tiles to the edge of the roof.
4. Place the plastic tarp horizontally on the roof. Measure down from the upper left corner using the measurement you wrote down for the tiles. Make a dot on the tarp at this measurement using a pencil. Measure across the length of the tarp starting at the dot you made and ending at the other side of the tarp.
5. Cut through the length of the tarp following the drawn line using a utility knife. Place the excess tarp aside.
6. Place the cut tarp horizontally on the roof. Place one of the two 2-by-4 boards that match the height of the tarp on the left side of the tarp. Roll the side of the tarp up and over the board. Staple the tarp to the board with a stapler.
7. Place another 2-by-4 board that matches the height of the tarp on the board that is now stapled to the tarp. Run nails through the top, bottom and center of the board using a hammer to secure both boards together. Repeat this procedure on the other side of the tarp with the other two boards.
8. Place one of the board-covered sides of the tarp over the tiles that are leaking. Arrange the tarp to completely cover the tiles. Pull the other board-covered side of the tarp over to the edge of the roof.
9. Place the other two 2-by-4 boards on top of each of the sides of the tarp. Hammer roofing nails through the boards and into the roof.
Tags: side tarp, 2-by-4 boards, this measurement, 2-by-4 boards that, boards that