If your roof needs repair, you may be thinking about DIY Roofing.
When it comes to DIY roofing, the first thing to consider is that repairing your own roof can be dangerous. The work itself might be easy but, depending on how much roofing experience you have, how steep your roof is, and how tall your home is, you might want to consider calling a professional roofer.
Another thing to consider is that very often, what you see needs fixing on your roof may not be the actual source of the problem. A leak in your ceiling may actually come from a leak in your roof a few feet away.
Professional roofers not only know how to find the root of your roof’s issue and repair it professionally, but they are also able to repair it safely.
If you plan to repair your own roof, here are some important Dos and Don’ts:
Do Consider Your Options:
Before tackling a DIY roof project as if you were Rambo in first blood part II, take a moment to evaluate and consider the job at hand. If your roof needs replacement, and you have no roofing experience, you should call a professional roofer. Your roof is a very important part of your home.
If it’s replacing a few shingles that blew off during a storm, then this is a much simpler project which can be fixed with little to no experience. Most home improvement stores have instructions available on how to do basic home improvement work, or you can find details about your roofing project online or on YouTube.
No matter the size of the DIY roofing project, keep safety as your number one priority.
If you’re not sure what your roof’s issue is, call a professional roofer who can come out and evaluate the scene professionally.
Do Plan Ahead
Planning ahead is a key part of any DIY project, but its importance is multiplied when you are fixing your own roof.
You don’t want to find out you forgot to buy nails when you’re hanging onto the edge of your roof on a ladder.
The other super important factor is the weather. Consider how much time it will take you to fix your roof and check the weather predictions. Roofing in the rain is not only “no-fun”, but it can also lead to leaks in your roof.
Do Clean Your Roof
Trying to fix your roof when it’s got leaves or branches on it, or the gutters are full, can be kind of tricky. It’s also not safe. Before you jump into your DIY roofing project, make sure you’ve cleaned your roof from any leaves, branches, and debris.
Also read, Roof Inspection Checklist
Don’t Repair Your Roof Alone – DIY Roofing
In this article, I’ve talked about safety and the relative aspects of DIY roofing projects, such as the steepness of your roof, the height of your house, and so on.
No matter how “not dangerous” your roofing project is, never go at it alone.
Having an extra set of hands to help you on the project is almost as important as having an extra set of eyes to foresee trouble spots, and help stabilize conditions. Lastly, if anything should happen, you’ll have someone there who can immediately help you.
Do Wear The Right Gear before DIY Roofing
If you’ve ever seen a professional roofer, you’ll note that we have a lot of safety gear that helps us comfortably do roofing repairs and roofing replacements.
Your roof is steep and it’s important that you have the right gear. This includes shoes or boots with rubber “grippy” soles, a helmet, a belt where you can have all the needed tools handy, and anything else you need to safely repair your own roof.
When in Doubt, Don’t Hesitate to Call a Professional Roofer
As much as I’d love to liken a DIY roofing project to anything else you usually fix yourself, I can’t. Out of all the DIY projects that existing at home, roofing is the most complicated and dangerous.
When you are in doubt, are not sure if you can fix your roof, call a professional roofer. However, if you do decide to tackle your own roof repair, be sure that you:
- Are well prepared.
- Know how to do the roof repair needed.
- Have all the materials you need.
- Have someone helping you and most importantly
- Take all the necessary safety precautions.
Article by:
Robert Shingletop
Senior Editor, No1 Home Roofing
sales@no1homeroofing.wpenginepowered.com