Had a client last year who did almost the same thing—used some aluminum flashing and a tube of roof cement to tide things over on his old asphalt roof. Honestly, it held up for months, and I couldn’t even find moisture inside when I checked in spring. Quick fixes aren’t always the villain folks make them out to be, as long as you don’t forget about ‘em. That said, I’ve seen more than one “temporary” patch turn into a full-blown attic pond... so yeah, keep an eye out for those telltale water stains.
That’s spot on—those “just for now” patches can surprise you with how long they hold up. I remember a hailstorm a couple summers back where a neighbor slapped some duct tape and plastic sheeting over a cracked vent. Not pretty, but it kept the water out till he could get a proper fix. But yeah, the trick is not to forget about it once the sun comes out again... that’s when people get caught off guard. I’ve seen more than one ceiling stain sneak up months after the fact.
the trick is not to forget about it once the sun comes out again... that’s when people get caught off guard.
That’s the part that always gets me. Temporary fixes have a way of blending into the background once things dry out. I’ve patched a couple spots with roof cement and mesh after a windstorm, thinking I’d circle back in a week or two—ended up leaving it for months. No leaks, but I know that stuff isn’t meant to last.
- Asphalt shingles here (Midwest), so hail and freeze/thaw cycles are rough.
- Tried those peel-and-stick patches before—worked better than expected, but UV breaks them down fast.
- Noticed some neighbors using tarps for whole seasons... seems risky with our winds.
Anyone ever had luck with those spray-on sealants? I’m skeptical, but they’re everywhere at the hardware store now. Wondering if they’re just a quick fix or actually buy you some time until you can do a real repair.
- Seen a lot of folks try those spray-on sealants after storms—honestly, they’re a band-aid at best.
- In my experience, they might hold up for a few weeks if you’re lucky, but the Midwest sun and temp swings usually crack them fast.
- Had a customer use one on a flashing joint last spring. Looked fine at first, but by fall it was peeling and water got in around the edges.
- If you need to buy time, peel-and-stick patches seem to last longer, especially if you can get under the shingle a bit.
- Tarps are a last resort... seen too many blow off or funnel water into places it shouldn’t go.
- Best bet is always to get a proper fix in when you can, but I get that it’s not always possible right away.
I’ll admit, I’ve had a can of that spray stuff in my truck for emergencies—sometimes you just need to stop the drip before it wrecks a ceiling. It’s not pretty, and yeah, it flakes off by summer, but it’s saved me from some angry tenant calls. Still, I wouldn’t trust it for more than a month or two. Honestly, I’ve had better luck with the old-school roofing cement—messy as heck but holds up longer if you don’t mind black goop everywhere.
