Did you know a single, seemingly small leak in your roof can cause significant and expensive damage to your home? The infiltrating water can cause mold and mildew, destroy your plaster or drywall and even rot the very frame of your house.
It’s obvious you need to take action, but rather than calling a pro, you prefer the do-it-yourself approach. While this option can help you save a bit of money, to see these cost savings you have to do the repairs properly.
Some tips that will help you with your DIY roof repairs can be found here.
- Safety First
If there’s a leak in your roof (or any other issue) the last thing you want to do is climb on top of your home while it’s still raining or if the roof is still covered in water, ice or snow. Not only is this an ineffective way to find the underlying issue, it may result in you taking a trip to the hospital.
Also, if you attempt a temporary fix, it could cause more damage in the long run. If you want to make sure the repairs are done properly, there’s no shortcuts and no such thing as a quick-fix. Take your time and be patient and careful.
- Take the Proper Precautions
Regardless of if you have a home that’s one story or several, you need to take precautions to ensure you aren’t injured. After all, each year, there are more than 500,000 instances of individuals falling from a ladder, with 97 percent of these incidents occurring at home. Don’t become another statistic.
The best way to avoid being injured in a fall is to use rubber boots so you have sufficient grip, always work with a buddy and wear a harness or roof anchor, such as the ones offered by Fall Protection Pros.
- Spray the Roof
When you climb on top of your home’s roof, be sure to take the garden hose along. You can use it to spray the roof in different locations to find the leak.
If it is the middle of winter, avoid this step. All you will be doing is creating a more hazardous work surface.
- Keep Your Gutters Clean
An extremely common area and underlying cause of leaks in a home’s roof is clogged gutters. If your gutters haven’t been cleaned in a while, then they can cause water to pool when it rains. This is the “perfect storm” for a leak to develop.
- Avoid Areas of Dry Rot
Dry rot isn’t the result of water damage. In fact, it is caused by a lack of ventilation. If you find an issue with your roof, such as a leak or another issue, it may be a problem related to the plywood.
As the roof deteriorates, the shingles may become brittle and crack. Eventually they will leak. To prevent dry rot, you will have to install a ridge vent. However, this is only going to work if there’s a soffit vent present. Holes have to be drilled through a soffit vent, so the cool air will come in through the bottom and push the hot air out through the top.
If you are having issues with your home’s roof, you know you can’t ignore the problem. However, if you don’t have prior experience with these types of issues, you may not know how to begin the repair process. While the tips here can provide some assistance, if the problem is too big for you to handle, it may be best to contact the professionals.
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