If you would rather fix your own roof than hire a roofer, this article is for you. Ignoring damage to your roof can wind up costing you a lot of money. So can making mistakes when you’re fixing your roof.
This article will outline a few tips for fixing your roof:
Admit Defeat
There are times in life when you just have to admit defeat. If you’re not a qualified roofer and you’re not confident fixing your roof, you need to hire a professional. You can cause more harm than good by trying to repair it yourself. According to professional roofers from Metro Roofing & Remodeling, your roof isn’t something that should be left to an amateur. By calling upon a professional roofer, you can rest assured that the job will get done properly and safely.
Matching Shingles
If you’re going to fix your roof yourself, then you need to make sure that your shingles always match. Even if you only need to replace a few shingles, they need to be an exact match in style, brand, and color. Slight differences will be very noticeable from a distance. Matching your shingles exactly will guarantee that your home’s property value isn’t diminished.
Saving Shingles
You don’t always need to replace shingles. You might be able to salvage them. You can use roofing cement and nails to keep curled and damaged shingles down. If they’re brittle, you can soften them with a heat gun. This will stop them from shattering when you attach them back to the roof.
Flashing
Sometimes, it’s not the shingles that need to be repaired – it’s the flashing. Flashing is located by any skylights, chimneys, or areas where there could be a gap in your roof. Damaged, missing, or loose flashing could be responsible for leaks that are getting into your home. Make sure that you carefully inspect your flashing, instead of immediately assuming that your shingles are to blame.
Wear the Right Shoes
When you’re fixing your roof, you’ll need to wear the right shoes so that you can keep your balance. You must wear rubber-soled shoes that grip the roof. If you have poor traction, there’s a chance that you might fall off. You should also ideally wear long pants, like jeans, and a long-sleeved shirt.
Exposed Nails
You should make sure that you never leave nails exposed when you’re repairing things on your roof. You should make sure that nails are underneath the shingles that they are attached to. You must also make sure that you only use aluminum and steel nails so that they don’t rust. If you can’t cover your nails with shingles, then make sure that you put caulk or sealant over them.
Replace or Repair?
If you’re tackling a roof repair, you need to carefully assess the situation. Do you need to replace or repair it? If there are small, specific areas of your roof that are damaged, you might be able to get away with a quick repair. However, you shouldn’t ever waste time and money repairing something that needs to be replaced. If something needs to be replaced, no matter how many times you repair it, it’ll become damaged again.
Never Leave a Leak
Never knowingly allow a roof leak to continue. Even the smallest leaks can cost you a lot of money. Roof leaks can cause damage to your walls and ceilings. They can also get into your joists, walls, electrical systems, and even your home’s foundations. This can lead to mold, mildew, electrical fires, and wood rot. If you notice the signs of a leak, identify where it’s coming from and repair it immediately.
Chimneys
Chimneys are a common way for leaks to start. While they might look pretty, they can be a big problem. One of the best ways to stop chimneys from leaking is to fill them up. If you don’t want to fill up your chimney, then you will need to check it regularly. You need to examine the mortar, bricks, and flashing.
Gaps Become Leaks
If you’re on your roof and you notice holes, gaps, or cracks, then you need to fill them up. An example of this might be when you remove a satellite dish from your home’s roof. When you remove a satellite dish, a small hole will remain. It’s important that you plug holes like this with tar or caulk so that they do not turn into leaks. Cracked shingles can also lead to leaks.
Damages to your roof are not to be taken lightly. They should be identified and repaired immediately. If you’re not confident doing it yourself, as we have already mentioned, admit defeat and phone a professional.