My garage is leaking

The roof of my garage (pole building) is leaking near the ridge vent. What is the best temporary repair? Replacing the roof now is out of the question. I have not gone up on the roof to inspect it yet. It's too windy today.

I was thinking of putting tar down then some fabric to reinforce and finally more tar. Am I on the right track? Is there a spray tar that will work?

Thanks!

If the wind is unusual it's possible to blow water into the vent cap.  Unless something peeled off it may not leak again for a long time. That's the optimistic view, anyway.

ridge vent needs replaced. Mine was doing the same. water was coming in where the nails came through. I had the entire house replaced for 300. its not worth me climbing on the roof for 300. 

Temporary would be a tarp tied down over the ridge.  Duckbutter some "Plumbers' Goop" overr the nail heads in the spring?

What kind of roofing?

is it the ridge vent?  Permanent repair will be cheaper than temporary. 

Your tar and membrane solution sounds like a disastrous mess. Don’t do that. 

SVreX said:

What kind of roofing?

is it the ridge vent?  Permanent repair will be cheaper than temporary. 

Your tar and membrane solution sounds like a disastrous mess. Don’t do that. 
 

I should be able to get a better look at it in the next couple days. It's leaking very close to the ridge vent. Once I get up there I'll have a better idea.

It's not possible to replace the roof now.  If that's my only option I'll have to leave it drip.

In reply to rustybugkiller :

I’m not suggesting you replace the roof. I’m suggesting your place the ridge vent.

Replacing the ridge vent properly would be significantly easier and cheaper than your tar and membrane solution.

I asked what type of roof because it looks like a white ridge vent. That could mean it’s a metal roof.  Shingle roof ridge vents are almost always black. 

If you have an asphalt shingle roof, tar and membrane might work, even if it looked like hell. 

If you have a metal roof, tar and membrane won’t work, AND it will look like hell. 

Your tar and membrane idea will take 4-5 times as long as replacing the ridge vent, and the materials will cost about 3X the cost of new ridge vent. The best solution really is replacing the ridge vent.

Asphalt. I'll consider replacing the ridge vent if I can.  Thanks!