This article addresses roof repair tips for homeowners. In general, roof repair is something that only a trained professional should carry out. Roofing can be a dangerous profession, and without training and proper precautions, you risk serious injury to yourself.
However, small repairs can be undertaken by homeowners. Furthermore, if you have some roofing or construction experience, it is understandable that you may choose to carry out roof repair on your own.
However, regardless of experience, there are some roof repair tips and precautions that you can use in order to ensure that you are properly protected.
Table of Contents
Tip #1: Use Matching Shingles
One of the most common types of roof repair is replacing shingles. When you’re only replacing a few shingles, it is easy to think that matching precisely to the rest of the roof will not matter. However, even the tiniest inconsistency is noticeable, especially at a distance. Make sure to go for an exact match – or else you risk hurting your property value, as well as making your home look less attractive.
Tip #2: Know When To Replace
Roof replacement can be expensive, and, understandably, you may prefer to repair as far as possible. If there is damage to only isolated areas, roof repair may well be possible. However, extensive damage will require replacement. In such a situation, contact a professional immediately instead of wasting time and money on futile repairs.
Tip #3: Don’t Leave Exposed Nail Heads
Ensure that all nails are kept underneath your shingles. If that isn’t possible, use caulk or roof sealant over the nail head in order to protect it. Furthermore, make sure that you use nails that are made of aluminum or galvanized steel. These precautions will help ensure that your nails will not rust and reduce the need to perform repairs again quickly.
Tip #4: Dress Appropriately
One of the roof repair tips least likely to ignore is ensuring that you are dressed for the task. This involves wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants (jeans, if possible). By covering yourself up as far as possible, you reduce the risk of injury in case you slip. Also, make sure that you are wearing rubber-soled shoes. These will help you maintain a grip on the roof and reduce the likelihood of you slipping and sliding along the roof and hurting yourself.
Tip #5: Checks Vents and Flashing
If your flashing is loose, it should be secured as quickly as possible using nails or roof cement. Even if the only issue is cracked caulk, you risk letting leaks in. In order to reduce this risk, make sure that you are sealing around all vents, flashing, and chimneys – this will help prevent the need to call in the professionals to take care of a leaky roof.
Tip #6: Know When to Call DKG Roofing
As we’ve already mentioned, roofing can be a risky job. Furthermore, if you’re unsure of what you’re doing, you risk causing even more damage to your roof. In order to mitigate both these risks, don’t hesitate to call in the professionals if you find that you’re over your head. In this way, you don’t have to worry about having the contractors first having to fix any unnecessary or badly done roof repairs that you have done. This can, in turn, help save you money.
Final Thoughts
While it is possible to engage in some DIY roof repairs, it is not always appropriate to do so yourself. If you find yourself in over your head or don’t have enough time to dedicate to carrying out your repairs yourself, contact DKG Roofing as soon as possible.
We hope you found these roof repair tips for homeowners helpful. Let us know if there is anything we can help you with. You can reach us at (940) 497-2833. We’d love to answer any questions that you might have!
