A well-maintained home improves the structure and safety of your home. You will want to take measures to prevent leak problems from happening. The roof of your home plays a significant role in protecting you and your family.
The Three Do’s
Three minor roof repairs you can do yourself are:
- Gutters
- Shingles
- Flashings
Gutters
Gutters are installed to keep roof water from damaging the foundation of your home. Gutters need to be kept clean of the debris which can build up over time. The debris plugs up the metal casing causing mold and mildew to accumulate under your roof.
Not to worry. The most common gutter problems can be fixed by you, the homeowner.
Examples of gutter problems are:
- Gutter and downspout get backed up with debris.
- Sagging due to heaviness of leaves, twigs and standing water.
- Deterioration of the hangers that secure the gutter to the fascia.
Hangers are cheap and easy for you to fix. Seal the holes by caulking the joint or fill small holes with gutter sealant. Larger holes will have to be patched.
Shingles
Shingles on a roof offer great protection to your home but can become stained, curled or torn. Missing or broken shingles can leave the wood on the roof exposed to rotting, holes and other damage. If the shingles were not adequately ventilated during the installation process, they could buckle.
Shingles of a different color indicate the presence of a roof leak. A small stained spot on a shingle can turn into a huge hole in your ceiling. Curling of shingles is usually caused by a lack of ventilation, high nails, or improperly installed fasteners Christopher Jurin of the Spruce Roofing Repair Specialists explains.
If your roof has missing shingles, water seepage from rain, snow and ice can become a direct route to rotting of the roof. Be sure to check your roof often and make repairs as necessary.
Flashings
The basic function of flashing is to seal any spaces in the roof system that water may enter. Christopher Jurin states the areas where this type of roof leak is found are:
- Roof system edges
- Perimeters
- Penetrations
- Walls
- Valleys
- Drains
- Other areas where the roof covering is no longer adequate.
Flashing material is usually made from aluminum or galvanized steel depending on the type of roof you have. Flashings are usually installed around the chimney, dormer windows and skylights. Flashing deterioration is usually caused by weather, oxidization or simply coming loose.
A roofing contractor will cut and shape their own material from sheet metal. However, you can repair your flashings yourself with preformed material and apply using roof caulking or roof cement. Top of the Line Roofers sells all of these products right here in our store. We offer installation tips at no expense to you.
The Three Don’ts
Having said how easy repairs can be, there are some repairs to your roof that are better repaired by a professional roof repair company in Macomb County, Michigan.
Three roof repairs you shouldn’t do yourself are:
- Reroofing
- Roof Puncture
- Ventilation
Reroofing
Reroofing is more complicated than you think.
Neil Kelly, a building remodeling specialist, states roofs should have two warranties. When considering installing your roof, you should get one warranty from the manufacturer covering manufacturer defects in the roofing materials. You should also get a warranty from the installer to cover workmanship issues. If you install the material yourself, you will not be protected by the second warranty.
Your roof is a system. The complete system is made up of the roof deck, underlayment type, starter type, ice and water shield, flashing, and other parts. Unless you have professional knowledge in these roofing areas, the installation is best left to the professionals.
Roof Puncture
According to Northwest Construction, some causes of roof puncture may be:
- Hail causing blistering and exposing the underlying fiberglass mat.
- Foot traffic puncturing the roof through renovations and product installation.
Lauren White, on her roof repair blog, suggests these types of repairs are best looked after by professional roofers. The steps to make the repairs are more involved and part of the roof may even require reframing.
Ventilation
Detail Roofing says proper roofing ventilation is a must. If the area underneath the roof is not properly ventilated, condensation forms. This happens when the air does not circulate properly, and the air becomes damp with moisture. This leads to mould growth and health issues. The cost of replacing all of these structures plus the cost to you and your family’s health is not worth the money saved by doing this repair yourself.
