Have a leak in your roof and cannot afford a repair man? Roofing DIY is always an option. But before diving into a project such of this type, there are a few things to review. Safety is always first when repairing anything around the house. With that said when attempting to fix a roof leak a few guidelines should be followed.
The first is never climb on a roof while it is raining or snowing. The adverse weather will create a very slick surface and can cause serious injury if you fall off. The second is to wear a harness that is tied to a secure point on the rooftop. This way if you slip you can avoid getting hurt. Third is to wear rubber soled shoes or boots. The rubber will allow for additional traction when on the roof. Fourth is to never attempt to fix the problem alone. Having a friend with you will not only make the job go faster but will give you back up in case something happens.
After gathering together the safety equipment tools and materials needed for the repair job. The next step is to assess what area of the rooftop has the potential leak. Once that is established then you can take a ladder and climb up in order to find the exact spot. Once the affected area is located some kind of liquid will be required. A garden hose is a great way to find the leaks location. Running water over the area while having someone on the inside of the house will help narrow down the spot of the leaking.
Once the repair is fixed then it is time to perform some preventive maintenance. Keeping the gutters on your house is a great way to keep water from building up on the surface of the roof. If water stays trapped under the shingles or tiles the plywood underneath can start to mold and rot. When that happens, a replacement roof will need to be installed.
Dry rot is another problem that can occur. This problem is caused due to lack of ventilation. A tell tale sign of this is if the center of the roof starts to sag and by doing so it will cause the shingles around the area to dry up and crack. When this happens water will collect in the crevices and cause long lasting damage. If there is dry rot in the roof then a professional contractor will need to be contacted for an estimate on repairing the damage. A preventive measure is to make sure the roof gets plenty of air circulation through vents that are installed.
In regards to vents that are installed. Another piece to check when maintaining or repairing a roof is to verify the roof boots are not damaged. The boots are the seals that are installed at the base of the vents. They are inexpensive and easy to install. Also they can be found at a local hardware store.
If upon inspection the gutters are not sitting directly against the house. A drip edge can be installed in order to cover the gap and allow rain and snow to drain into the gutters properly. Drip edges can be purchased at a hardware store or lumberyard and are generally made of metal.
Be sure to inspect the valleys in a rooftop. A valley is where two roofs come together and create a slanted valley. Be sure to keep that area clean in order to prevent insects from gathering and the growth of mold. When checking the valleys it is a good practice to also inspect the main drain point of the roof.
Following these guidelines and tips will help assure a safe roofing DIY repair job. Also by conducting preventative maintenance repair costs can be kept at a minimum. If a time comes to replace a layer or multiple layers of the roof then a professional contractor is the best way to go. Prices will vary for different types of materials but the one constant is the measurement that all contractors use. This is one square equals 10 feet by 10 feet or 3.048 meters by 3.048 meters.
