One of the scariest things you as a homeowner can face is roof damage and leaking. It’s not easy to climb your roof and fix it on your own. Not only can it be dangerous for you because of the great risk of slipping on the roof’s slippery surface and seriously hurting yourself, but it can be a permanent problem for your home if you fail to replace a broken roof shingle. In any case, you should approach roof repairs very seriously in order to protect your home from more severe damage.
Well-timed reaction
You can reduce your costs if you notice the leaks on time. One way to do it is to check your roof after every major storm. Strong winds can easily blow away your shingles and broken branches could fall and break them. Calculate the ‘squares’ to know the dimensions of your roof doing so will help you to understand how much material you will need. However, this does not mean that you should set the shingle and simply plaster it if you don’t know how to do it. This could only bring more damage in future if you don’t check often whether your attic is nice and dry.
Take precautions
If you have decided to inspect the roof on your own, being safe should be your number one priority and you certainly should not do it if weather conditions are not right. In other words, if it’s rainy or it’s snowing, wait for Mother Nature to give the green light. Snow will become an issue only when it starts to melt; until then your roof is safe and protected. On the other hand, even when the rain stops, you should wear rubber boots to lower the chances of slipping as much as you can. In addition, you can attach the harness to your chimney which will allow you to move across the roof with less effort and even less stress, for you will know that you are safe and belted.
Be thorough
Unfortunately, even the small break can cause greater damage if it’s not fixed and repaired on time. Be thorough during your roof examination and pay special attention to the valleys and gutters. Water can easily spread from the ceiling to your living room walls, thus soaking wall insulation. Check every single shingle if you have to, in order to be sure that there are no cracked spots on your roof. If you cannot see the problematic spot with your bare eyes, take a garden hose and spray the roof – then check in the attic if there is any leaking. Skylights, antennas or snow – dampers are obvious places where the leaking occurs. Secure them with roof rubber boots which you can find in any specialized store.
No tools – no fixes
Sadly, we cannot use superpowers to fix leaks and breaks, and good tools usually get half the work done. Don’t get into repairing armed only with hammer and a nail, there are many power tool brands which will provide you with great equipment. Bosch offers great tools, but Makita and Rockwell are also among quality brands to consider.
Even if you know a lot about roof repairs, you should make sure there is someone with you while you’re up there, taking care of things. Friend will be able to see better some places and point them out to you, and also will be there to help you if things turn out to be a bit more complicated. To conclude: never fix your roof alone, and never do it if it is raining or if the temperature is very low.
