Roof repair is no easy task. Whether you are repairing a leak, installing new shingles, or just replacing some flashings, it’s important to do the job correctly the first time.
Here are five DIY roof repair tips that will help you get the job done right.
Why is Roof Repair Important?
The roof is one of the most important parts of any home. It protects you and your family from outside elements like weather and environmental damage, as well as theft and intruders.
If a problem with your roof goes unfixed for too long it can lead to costly repairs or replacement down the line.
Roof repair doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult, though. A lot of small problems can be fixed with just a little bit of time and care on your part.
5 DIY Roof Repair Tips
Here are five DIY roof repair tips to help you get started:
Tip #01 – Stop Leaks Immediately
One of the most common reasons for roof repair is because there’s a leak in the first place.
Water damage from leaks can lead to mold growth and rot, which is a serious problem that will require major roof repair down the line.
The best way to stop leaks immediately after they start is with ice dams . Ice dams are built up layers of snow around your home’s eaves during winter months.
When the sun comes out it melts this snow, but then the warm air that enters your home starts to melt it as well.
This melts more snow and causes water runoff, which drains into any cracks or holes in the roof instead of away from them.
Ice dams are easy to spot if you know what you’re looking for – they’ll be a large build-up of slushy snow below the eave of your home.
You can stop ice dams from forming by clearing any snow that’s piled up around your roof, or perhaps installing an “anti-ice dam” product that helps to melt away the buildup.
Tip #02 – Stay Up To Date On Your Roofing Materials
Roofs are made out of a number of different materials, and they all have a lifespan.
If you’re using older roofing material it may need to be replaced much sooner than expected – which means that an unexpected repair bill might just pop up out of nowhere.
The best way to avoid this is by staying up to date on your roof’s material type and condition as the seasons change.
If you’re unsure about what type of roofing material your home uses, it’s a good idea to ask a contractor or call up the manufacturer – they’ll be able to help with this information.
Tip #03 – Always Use A Flat Surface For Storage
Many people use their roofs as extra storage space for items that don’t have anywhere else to go.
This can be dangerous for many reasons, but one of the main ones is that it makes your roof more likely to collapse under the weight.
The best way to avoid this problem is by always using a flat surface when storing heavy objects on top of your home’s roof.
Some people use plywood boards or pallets, but these can be easily blown away by strong winds – and they’re also prohibitively expensive.
If you really need to use your roof as storage space, then buying a few inexpensive tarps might just be the perfect solution for you.
Tarps are easy to work with and cheap enough so that if one blows away it won’t break the bank to replace it.
Tip #04 – Don’t Try To Do Everything By Yourself
One of the most common DIY roofing mistakes is trying to do everything on your own instead of hiring a professional contractor.
Some people think that they can save money by doing all the labor themselves, but this usually just results in wasted time and effort while you run into problems that are too big for you to fix on your own.
A contractor can help with any number of roofing issues, but there’s one thing they should always be called in for: tear-offs .
Tear-off projects usually involve removing all or most of the existing shingles from an entire home before starting fresh work.
Tear-offs are tricky to do on your own because of their size, so they’ll almost always require a professional.
If you’re planning to hire someone for this kind of work it’s best if they start as soon as possible – otherwise standing water can damage or ruin the shingles that remain.
Tip #05 – Use Quality Materials
If you’re going to hire a contractor then use high-quality materials when it comes time for your roofing project.
Otherwise, the whole thing might not hold up in extreme weather conditions and wear down quickly before its lifespan is over.
It’s always better to spend more money on a good brand name product rather than cheap knockoffs that won’t last long.
It might seem like a bad idea to spend more money upfront, but it’s actually just the opposite: using higher quality materials will pay off in the end because they’ll be less expensive than having to hire someone else to replace shoddy workmanship later on down the line.
Hiring a Roof Guy Versus DIY Roof Repair – Which is Better?
Hiring a roof guy versus doing it yourself is one of the most common questions that people have when they look at their options.
They might be tempted to take on all the work themselves, but there are several good reasons why this isn’t always a smart idea no matter how much you know about roofs or construction in general.
The first reason is that it’s not worth the risk to your home – small mistakes can lead to big problems, and if you’re doing a project as complex as roof repair then there will always be some kind of issue.
The second reason is that hiring someone costs more money upfront but actually saves you time and makes repairs easier in the long run because they know what they’re doing.
Hiring a roof guy is usually the best option because they can do all of this work for you and make sure that everything is done properly without putting your home at risk in any way.
Claiming a Roof Insurance Versus DIY – Which is Best?
Claiming roof insurance versus doing it yourself is another question that comes up quite often.
There are lots of different opinions about this topic, so the best thing to do is weigh your options and decide for yourself which one will work out better in the long run.
The biggest advantage of claiming a roof insurance policy instead of DIY-ing everything on your own is that it’s a lot more convenient and you don’t have to worry about making mistakes or doing things wrong.
Insurance companies know all the latest tricks of the trade, so they’ll make sure everything gets done quickly and correctly without any errors along the way.
The biggest disadvantage of claiming insurance instead of DIY-ing your roof repairs would be the price.
Insurance premiums cost a lot of money no matter what, so even if you have enough coverage to make it worth your while then there’s still going to be a hefty sum attached that might not be affordable for everyone.
In this case, people usually end up settling somewhere in the middle: they pay someone else to do some or most of the work, but they do some themselves as well.
This is a good idea because it helps you cut down on costs while still making sure everything gets done correctly.
