There is still a little time left for you to fix any small holes or cracks in your rubber roof before the severe cold of winter arrives. Here is how you can fix a crack or hole on a rubber roof.

You Will Need

• Rubber Patch
• Rubber Cement
• Rubber Primer
• Rubber Cleaner
• Broom
• Soft-Bristled Brush
• Paint Brush
• Silicone Hand Roller
• Water
• Utility Knife

Clean Damaged Area

You need to thoroughly clean the damaged on the roof so the rubber cement bonds well to the current rubber membrane on the roof.

Sweep the area of leaves, twigs, and other debris. You should use a cleaner specially made to clean grease and oils off of rubber roofs. If the dirty spots don't clean easily, you should use a soft-bristled brush to agitate the dirt.

Rinse the area with water to remove the cleaner and any residue it can leave behind. Allow the area to completely dry before moving onto the next step.

Apply Rubber Primer

Use a paint brush to apply a rubber primer to the surface of the roof. You want to make sure you apply an even coat over the damaged area. The primer should extend beyond the edges of the damaged area by a couple of inches.

Be careful that the primer doesn't form a pool anywhere on the roof as this will prevent the primer from drying properly.

Wait until the primer dries before you do anything else. The best way to tell if the primer is dry is to touch it with your finger. You don't want any primer to stick to your finger. If it does, you'll have to wait another hour or so for it to dry.

Caution: Any repair work has to be done while the ambient outside temperatures are above freezing. If the temperature is near or below freezing, the bonding agent that holds the rubber patch over the damage can freeze and become useless (check the manufacturer's directions on the primer to see how warm the temperatures need to be to use their product).

Apply Patch

Cut the patch to size. The patch should overlap the damaged area by a couple of inches.

Fold back the paper film on the back of the patch until half of the back of patch is uncovered. Carefully place the backside of the top edge of the patch over the top of the damaged area and press it down with a silicone hand roller.

Slowly remove more of the paper film until the entire patch is pressed against the roof. You need to make sure there aren't any bubbles in the patch. The bubbles can rupture during the winter and ruin the surface of the patch – which will cause a small roof leak.

You should also make sure the edges of the patch are firmly affixed to the roof to prevent tiny gaps that could let water in under the patch.

Inspect that the patch is firmly attached before moving on to fix any other damaged spots.

For assistance, talk to a professional rubber roofing contractor.