While most of us are happy to tinker with furniture and some other household items, we are rather reluctant when it comes to repairing the roof ourselves. This is mostly due to the fact that the roof is a completely different beast; you have to fix it properly in order to prevent future leaks. But don’t fear! Even if you have limited repair skills, most of the things can be done easily. You can do a really good job without ever calling for a professional roofing company. Here are some tips to keep your roof in a perfect shape and how much each type of repair costs.
Here are some tips that will help you do it.
Periodical maintenance
When it comes to the roof, you usually don’t have to go all out. Most damage is localized and even if there is a leak, you probably won’t have to change the whole roof at once. Instead, small fixes will do the trick. One of the most important things you need to know when it comes to roof maintenance is that being proactive pays off. In fact, if you perform smaller fixes from time to time, you can significantly prolong the period until you have to change the whole roof. Make sure to check it at least twice per year, once prior to the rainy season and once after it. In most cases, you will have to perform smaller work such as replacing a few shingles or gutters.
Finding the source of the leak
If you’re not as proactive, you will likely start repairs once you notice a leak. Leaks are usually easy to spot. In most cases, they will be on the roof, right above the critical spot. You can spot it by the excess moisture and dripping. If you’re uncertain as to where it is, perhaps it’s better to climb on the roof and check it thoroughly. One of the good tests which you can do is taking a garden hose and hosing down various areas. This is something that needs to be done with an assistant. As you start hosing down the roof, water will appear in the attic via the leaking spot. Your assistant can yell and tell you as soon as you hit the hole.
Fixing the shingles
In most cases, a few bad shingles will be the issue. You might easily spot the faulty ones as they might be curled or discolored. In the worst case scenario, they will be missing altogether. Keep in mind that once a shingle goes out, other shingles around it tend to become flimsy. You should check the whole area by gently pulling surrounding shingles and seeing which ones are moving. Those that are not stiff should be removed at once as they represent liability and may cause new shingles to become problematic. Shingles can easily be installed. All you have to do is slide them in and use nails to tie them down. Make sure to put nails in all the corners as you don’t want shingle to be wobbly.
Chimneys and dormers
Besides shingles, area around chimney is usually problematic. Flashing is usually the one to blame although chimney may show signs of deterioration as well. If you think there is a leak around it, make sure to replace flashing and get a new one.
Replacing the whole roof
While other steps can be done by practically anyone, this is a bit bigger task. Due to the importance of the roof, replacement is something that only experienced handymen should consider. Even if you do it, it’s much better to have a crew of people to help you out. For example, you can call a few of your friends and instruct them how to do the job.
Conclusion
Replacing a roof is something that can save you a lot of money and it can also be a fun project. Still, if you’re uncertain about anything, it is much better to call a roofing company to do the job for you!
We have a snow rake to pull snow off the edge of the roof (using the rake, hubby can pull off the snow approx 2 feet up from the eavestroughs. It helps when we get a big melt (we call the big melts here “chinooks’.)
Great tips and a very informative article. Replacing shingles can be a very expensive endeavor and regular maintenance can certainly lengthen the life of shingles.
good information! I keep looking at our neighbors roof , missing shingle, and dire need of repair or replacement! a good post for them to read!
We just had our roof redone this year, they took it right down to the plywood, I guess we had 3 layers of shingles on the house, so it was time for a complete rip off and reshingle!
Thanks for the steps. Roof repair is so important.
nice to know
Great tips, and good to know for future reference!
I know nothing about roofs so this was useful to me!
Learned a bunch of great tips.
Thanks for sharing the information. Watching the shingles as the last couple of years we have had strong winds and I think some of the shingles lifted a little.
Great tips! A little maintenance, and you could extend the life of your roof.
Great tips, we replaced our roof this past summer.
Replacing lost shingles is really important and can save you a lot of money in the long run! We used to get really bad wind storms at our old house. We had to replace the shingles a few times.
A good roof that is long lasting is an important investment!
As you said, regular maintenance can save lots of trouble and money. Thanks for the information.
Great tips! So important to do regular maintenance.
These are all great tip, my nephew is a roofer so that is helpful too!
Great tips to keep in mind!
We’ve gone with a metal roof, and are finding it really worth our while. With a 50 year guarantee, we won’t have to worry about replacing it before we move.
My old home we just have to keep doing repairs to it. Thanks for the information.
We do not tinker at all with our roof either. This year was especially terrible as the wind ripped our shingles off 3 times. Great post and diy tips.
Not something to mess with and definitely upkeep and maintenance is super-important. But I would get a roofing company that is bonded and insured (checking with the insurer to make sure the documents provided are accurate and active – you would not believe how many roofing companies get the paperwork and then cancel their policies).
That is the great thing about a bungalow. The roof is not so high.
I had some experience re-shingling a roof when I was a teenager. This has added to my appreciation for roofers, because I would not like to have to do this ever again!
I will leave the job to the professionals.
Great tips, living in a really windy area these will come in handy since we are always loosing random shingles. I need my husband to read and reread this!
I rent but great roofing tips!
We have snow and ice issues. We are too old to be climbing on roofs now, so we’ll call our sons when we need that kind of help., but we have brand new shingles!
My husband and I replaced our shingles in
A previous 🏡-
Good tips
I just had my roof done last year awesome tips will send link to my sister who will be replacing hers in the summer
Great tips…we will get the professionals to fix our roofing when that time comes.
Great tips and a very informative article.
Good information for any homeowner. If regular maintenance is done, you should be good for a long time.
Helpful tips!!! These are things I didn’t think of before so thanks!
we had the roof done 2 years ago,,,, no need to worry except I do inspect it for issues,,,
Terrific tips, but when the “handyman” isn’t too sure about climbing onto the roof – our roof is very steep, we have to call in the pros. Thanks for sharing. .
My husband always checks around the house and roof when we have a wind storm to make sure there is no damage. We also have a rake to get some of the snow of the roof when a lot of snow builds up.
I like the idea of not having to redo the entire roof if there is a leak.
Great information, I will keep it in mind if anything happens to our roof.
We went through this end of November. After trying patches and replacing shingles, we ended up having to replace whole roof
Wow! When I think DIY my brain alwasys thinks small. Bravo on this project,
Great feed!! We just had our roof replaced and a mold issue. So fixing the whole roof was the solution. But we took other measures around the home to improve the outside.
Thanks for the tips! We are totally not Do it your selfer’s and leave most things to the professionals but it’s good to know what to look for.
thanks for sharing these helpful tips. It is always nice to here other`s opinions.
Good tips, I know its time to do some work on mine and it is such a daunting task!
I can’t say that I see us replacing our roof ourselves. My hubby is handy but not that handy that I would trust him to do it DIY.