Handy tips for you ladies for the next time you go out on the roof to fix a leak (or even for you guys if it is relevant!) which I have just learned from experience.

The compound which comes in a tin (like a paint can) is VERY sticky, try to remember to take some rubber gloves with you. I think it might be fibre glass, hang on while I go to check........... I'm back, yuck, I just cannot believe that I just did that, forgot the rubber gloves again when handling the tin! I have got the stuff all over the English part of the label, can't read the other languages, anyway it has fibres in it and it stinks. Right ladies, as I said TRY to remember to take rubber gloves, I forgot as I hate the things anyway, got the lid off the tin and stirred it with my old paintbrush which slopped the stuff down the side of the tin a bit, liberally applied the compound to the offending crack in the Ruberoid making a thorough mess of the tin in the process, replaced lid to preserve the remainder then looked at the state of my hands, sticky grey muck all over them! Noticed the man next door was in his garden so surprised him by calling hello from above!

I digress, how to clean up your hands once you have finished repairing the roof.... now this stuff is waterproof, so how are you supposed to wash it off? Soap and water do not make any impression whatsoever and this is where handy hint number two comes in, hint one was wear rubber gloves, nail polish remover! Drench some makeup remover pads in nail polish remover and cleanse hands, works a treat, then we come to handy hint three, don't mend the roof immediately after painting your nails!

Now all I need is more rain to test my repair........

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From over the pond....

Sue, although I am extemely impressed at how industrious you are, I am sitting here in stitches from reading your post. How you manage to provide us with a great "Do It Yourself" roof repair lesson and project so much humour at the same time is beyond me. I have another tip to add... don't wear makeup when reading your posts, I was laughing so hard that my mascara is running down my face. I wish I would learn not to fall asleep with makeup on, geez... I must be turning into a Tammy Faye Baker.

Thanks for the useful tip and let us know if everything turns out alright the next time it rains.

The repair was well and truly tested a few days later, it rained so hard that Jersey was flooded... not me as I live at the top of a hill. With some trepidation I went into my garage and it was as dry as a bone. If I get the sack from this job for logging onto FT when I am supposed to working I can always get a job as a handy(wo)man!

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From over the pond....

Sue you are much braver than I to take on a leaky roof...I'd have had to call a handy man if it were me.

and JoJo

quote:

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I wish I would learn not to fall asleep with makeup on, geez...

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I was never one to take off my make-up at night until recently. I started doing it earlier in the evening, like right after supper. That way when I wake up from my "nap" on the couch and drag myself to the bed I don't have to worry about it!

Sue,
Do you have WD-40 where you are ? If that roof stuff is like the tar stuff that I used it should work. Otherwise you might need some other kind of solvent like mineral spirits. Just be careful with that stuff - the fumes are wicked and usually flammable. Or is it inflammable? (sorry, old George Carlin bit)
I had to patch part of my roof in the middle of hurricane Floyd a few years ago. That was fun. We had 14 inches of rain. That's a lot for New York - a REAL LOT. And the fact that I live on top of a hill didn't prevent water from getting in the basement.
A bit of advice - always have a wet vac on hand - you never know when you'll need it.

We do have WD40, but that stinks worse than nail polish remover!

The roof is still watertight and hopefully will last for a while until I decide to get the whole roof recovered.

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From over the pond....