If you need to repair your roof but you want to save some money in the process, then it might be a good idea to consider doing some of the work yourself. While this doesn’t mean replacing a professional roofer, there are some small jobs you can easily do if you don’t mind heights.
Types of Roof Repair
There are many factors that are going to be considered when repairing a roof. Before you can start your DIY repair work, remember that not every problem is not straightforward. While replacing few shingles can seem like a simple task, the problem could be more serious that requires professional help. If you are not sure about a given problem, then make sure you talk to a professional who is going to help you. They are going to give you a quote after inspecting your roof.
Shingle Replacement
If there are shingles damaged or missing, and the problem is just in one area, it is possible to replace them. The first thing you have to do is look for shingles that match the ones on your roof, both in color and style. When you choose shingles that don’t match, the patches are going to be obvious. This is even more important because it is going to detract from curb appeal, which is not something you want when looking for a buyer.
You have to remove the old shingles and those surrounding them if they are loose. To secure the shingles, use adhesive that has been specifically made for those shingles and nails.
Partial Reroofing
A partial reroofing is where you remove all the shingles in one rea of your roof before replacing them with new ones. It can also involve layering new shingles over the old ones. This is good because the patches become less obvious when you don’t find the exact match for what you have on your roof.
You need to keep a few things in mind:
Shingles can be layered only once; if you have two layers, you have to remove both of them before you install the new one.
When you later on top of a shingle later or remove two layers of shingles, the new sections might not light up with the other sections on your roof. This can result in a hump at the ridge cap, which can detract from curb appeal. You can end up trying to even things out after you are done or trying to match things up with extra layers at the top.
It might be a good idea to opt for partial reroofing, but it is the right option when a large section of the shingles is damaged or missing but the rest of your roof is good.
Total Reroofing
If there is widespread damage on your roof, or if different sections of your roof have been repaired and reached its age limit, the best option is reroofing your entire roof. The process is going to involve removing all the old shingles before you apply new ones.
The benefit of having newer roof shingles installed is they usually adhere better compared to the older ones. You get better coverage when you strip off the old shingles. If you have only one layer, you can save labor by layering one set of new over the old shingles. If your roof has two layers of shingles, make sure you remove both of them before installing the new one.
Flashing
There are times when the shingles are not the problem, but the flashing. When re-roofing your roof, whether partial or the entire roof, you need to also replace the flashing too. This is going to be part of your DIY roof repair project. The flashing is located around the skylights, chimneys, and other areas of the roof that has a gap. A damaged, missing, or loose flashing could cause leaks, which is not something you want to happen because it causes a lot of issues in your home. Keep this in mind so you don’t end up spending more money fixing the problem because you did not do things right.
If you are more comfortable with a professional contact Austin roofing company to repair your roof.
