If your roof needs a minor repair and you plan to save money over it, you might be willing to work things out by yourself. Although you can’t replace a professional roofing company, small jobs can be undertaken by DIY homeowners who don’t mind heights.
Here are a few tips for your roof repair that can make your job easier;
Shingle Replacement
If your roof just has a few missing or damaged shingles and the problem is localized to one particular area, it is pretty easy for you to replace those. All you need to do is find new shingles that match to ones on your roof both in style as well as colour. Use a combination of adhesives specially made for those shingles and nails to stick them in one place.
Make sure you check the nearby shingles as well to avoid further complications caused by loose shingles.
Partial Re-roofing
Partial re-roofing usually consisted of removing shingles on a particular area and replacing them with new ones. This can help you avoid the apparent patches of the shingles that are the same as the old ones, both in colour and pattern. It also can mean just layering new shingles over the old ones.
But remember, you can layer the shingles only for ones. If you have already applied this trick, you need to remove them both to apply a new one which could be a bit complex procedure. So make sure you reach out to a roofing company for help.
Total Re-Roofing
If your roof is damaged extensively, or multiple areas need repair, or your roof is reaching its age limit, it is the right time to reproof the entire thing. This would require stripping off the old shingles and before applying the new ones.
The benefit is that the newer shingles adhere better than older varieties, and stripping them off can help you get better coverage. Also, keep in mind, you can save labour by layering the new set over the old one.
As said before, remember that the new set is the only layer you provide on top of the existing one. If it’s the second, make sure you remove the older two.
Flashing
At times all you need to repair is just the flashing and not the shingles. Also, it is recommended to replace the flashing at the time of re-roofing or partial re-roofing as a part of the DIY process.
Flashings are located near the chimney and other areas where there is a gap in the roof. Missing or loose flashings could result in leaks and other issues at home.
Conclusion
Before actually getting into the work, make sure you watch some videos to get a better sense of the work to be done before all attempting them. Also, there are certain safety tips for you to avoid unnecessary risks.
- Make sure you wear rubber gloves and shoes for traction and to avoid abrasion.
- Use a steady ladder for you to easily climb up and down.
- Don’t get over a roof that’s sagging. There is a high chance of an accident if you do so.
- Void climbing on the roof when it’s covered with snow, moss, or is wet.
Apart from all these tips and tricks, remember you can reach out to a professional roofing company for help at any given point in time.
