Look for gaps in caulk, sealant, or aluminum flashing where any objects intersect with or emerge from the roof. These are some of the most common sources of roof leaks, and smaller gaps are easy to repair. Small gaps can be treated with caulk or roof sealant, but larger cracks or tears require patching or new flashing. Scrape away old sealant, wipe away debris, and dry the area thoroughly before applying a new compound. Use a thin, flexible putty knife to apply roof cement to small cracks in the sealant around chimneys, pipes, or other joined surfaces. For small gaps at the metal or rubber collar of an exposed pipe or vent, apply a bead of waterproof silicone-based caulk with a caulking gun. Gaps larger than 14in (0.64cm) will require a more substantial fix instead of a simple sealant. Flashing is typically made of steel or aluminum, and it seals joints around chimneys, valleys, siding, and walls that intersect the roof. If you find loose flashing, apply a bead of roof cement beneath it, then press it back into place. If a small area of flashing is rusted, slide a new piece of galvanized steel flashing beneath the failing area, then seal it with roofing cement. If you're any shingles adjacent to flashing are loose, avoid nailing the shingles on the side that makes contact with the flashing. Instead, bond the shingles to the flashing using roof cement to avoid puncturing the flashing. Pry off stretches of unsound flashing and old roof cement with a chisel or pry bar. Measure your chimney, vent, or other joined area, and use a pair of straight cutting tin snips to cut a section of pre-bent base flashing to fit the joint. Your flashing should overlap the joint by about 4in (10cm) on each side. Apply strips of ice-and-water barrier to the joint before installing the flashing. For a chimney or other object protruding from the roof, apply strips 4in (10cm) up the object's height. Wrap the flashing around the joint and seal it with roofing cement or caulk. If there are nail holes on the flashing's edge, drive galvanized roofing nails into them. If you have a shingled roof, you might have needed to remove shingles in order to access the old flashing. Replace them, if necessary, and secure them to the flashing with roofing cement. Properly replacing all of the flashing around a chimney is complex and may require custom-made materials. If necessary, consult a professional.

Summary: Inspect areas where surfaces join, such as at a chimney or valley. Apply roof sealant or cement to gaps less than 14in (0.64cm) wide. Repair rusted or loose flashing at a joint. Replace large areas of failing flashing, if necessary.

Try not to vacuum the shag carpet too intensely, as this could damage the long fibers of the carpet. The carpet fibers could get frayed or even break off over time. You could also damage your vacuum cleaner. If you must vacuum the shag carpet, try to use a low-powered handheld vacuum cleaner to avoid damaging the fibers. If you are using cleaning solutions such as carpet shampoo or vinegar, it is especially important to ventilate the area during the cleaning process. Open whatever windows are available, especially those that create a cross-breeze in the room, to help eliminate potentially harmful odors. You may want to consider opening any doors to the room as well to further ventilate it. When dealing with shag carpet, it's important to be proactive about spills. If you spill anything (especially liquid) on your shag carpet, you should blot it immediately with a clean towel to minimize the amount of the staining liquid that is able to soak up into the carpet fibers. This will make the cleaning process much easier. Remember to blot at spilled liquids rather than rubbing. Rubbing could damage the carpet fibers. A steam-cleaning machine uses hot water and non-foaming carpet detergent to clean carpet that has been dirtied with use. Rent a steam-cleaner and follow the instructions on the machine to clean your carpet. Once you have finished cleaning, you'll need to let the carpet dry for several days before returning to normal use. Be careful not to pull the machine too vigorously over the shag carpet, so as not to damage the carpet fibers. You can rent steam-cleaners from most grocery stores, home improvement stores, and even some carpet cleaning stores. You should steam clean your shag carpet once or twice per year to give it a good deep clean and to maintain its appearance. If you are struggling with the decision about whether or not to clean your shag carpet yourself, you might want to consider hiring a professional to clean it for you. Due to the delicate nature of shag carpet, it is very easy to damage in cleaning. It might be better to play it safe and pay a professional. Be sure to check around for a carpet cleaning company that has experience cleaning shag carpet specifically.

Summary: Avoid intense vacuuming. Ventilate the area. Blot any spills immediately. Rent a steam-cleaner. Get your shag carpet professionally cleaned.

If you're wearing pants or a skirt with a tight waistband, your clothes could be making matters worse by putting pressure on your bladder. Make yourself as comfortable as possible by loosening your tight clothing. If you're wearing a belt, unbuckle it. Unbutton or unzip your pants or skirt. To hide the fact that you're unbuttoned, pull your shirt down or place a sweater or another item over your lap. For similar reasons, you may also find it helpful to uncross your legs, particularly when sitting. Squirming around jostles your bladder and creates an urge that feels more extreme. You might want feel like tapping your feet or shifting from side to side, but that's just going to make matters worse. Try to get in a comfortable position and stay that way. This is one of the best ways to deal with having to pee on a bus. If there's really nowhere to go to the bathroom for the next hour or two, make the best of the situation by trying to forget about your uncomfortable physical state. Pick up your reading material or turn on a video absorbing enough to keep your mind off of your urge to relieve your bladder. Both of these actions can cause the pelvic floor muscles to give a little, making the urge to pee worse. You probably can't do much about it if you have a coughing fit, but you can make sure the book or video you choose isn't funny enough to make you laugh so hard you pee in your pants. Having an unbearable urge to pee is partly psychological, so thinking about whitewater rafting and spouting geysers really will make you feel worse! Let your mind dwell on deserts (without mirages) and other things that are dry. If you have a mean friend who thinks it's funny to sing "Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls" while you're trying to hold it in, tell him it won't be so funny if you pee in your seat right next to them. There's no chance that you're going to burst your bladder just by holding your pee for a long time, so let your mind be eased. If it gets to the point where your body can't hold it anymore, it will simply stop doing so. Hopefully by then you'll have gotten to a rest stop! If you fear the time has come and you're still sitting there wedged between a stranger and a window, read on.
Summary: Loosen tight clothing. Try not to move around too much. Read or watch something to distract yourself. Avoid coughing or laughing. Don't think about running water. Know that holding it for a long time won't hurt your bladder.