5 Tips for DIY Roof Repair
Every homeowner prays that their roof will remain in good condition until the end of time. However, roofs are vulnerable to damages that are brought about by rain, sun, wind, and snow. As a matter of fact, it’s the roof that takes all of the punishment from bad weather. When the roof is worn out, water and snow will eventually drip into the house and damage your valuables. Such damages can be avoided by scheduling for repairs early. Below are tips that can give you a headstart when doing roof repairs.
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Examine the Roof
You should never start a roof repair project unless you know where the problem is. It’s therefore important you identify the underlying problem. If you notice that some sections of the ceiling tend to be wet or a wall remains moist during the rainy season, a leak in the shingles could be the culprit. Since you can’t identify the leak when you are still below the roof, you should get a ladder to make climbing up much easier. Once you get up there, you should be on the lookout for rotten or missing shingles. You should also inspect chimney vents and plumbing vents. At times the leaks are caused by loose sheets.
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Repair the Patches
Roofing repairs can be very costly especially if you have to bring in a professional. If it’s just a small patch of the roof that is worn out, you should consider repairing such a section because it won’t cost you a lot of money. The good thing is that you can handle minor repairs by yourself and you don’t have to finish them in one day. You can actually work on the patches over a weekend or in the evening after you return home from work. As long as you are armed with a few roofing nails, hammer and shingles, you should be able to fix the roof on your own.
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When a New Roof is the Only Remedy
There are times when repairing patches may not solve roof problems. If the majority of the shingles are totally worn out, leakages will always persist. This is because you will seal a patch but water will still find another route that goes through the shingles. Repairing such leakages is expensive in the long run. You should, therefore, consider pulling out the old roof and replace it with another. The advantage of new shingles is that they can remain in good shape for up to two decades.
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Set a Budget
Most homeowners spend a lot of money on roof repairs because they don’t have a predefined budget that can guide them. It’s actually recommended that you first determine the amount of money that you are willing to spend on roofing materials before you start shopping around. You can actually use a roofing cost estimator to know the amount of money that you will need for the materials. The app is actually available for free as long as you can access the internet.
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Repair Roof in Summer
The cost of roofing materials normally goes up during winter and spring. You should, therefore, make arrangements to repair your roof before the onset of rain or winter season. This is because the demand for roofing materials and services is low which gives you the advantage of buying materials at slashed prices. If the damage on your roof is not intense, you should fix it temporarily and wait until the weather gets extremely hot to get started with the repairs.
