DIY Roof Repairs—Shingles and Cracks

If you have localized damage on your roof, you can save some money and make the repairs yourself. If you do not feel comfortable climbing on the roof you can hire a roof repair company to do the work. The deterioration of the condition of your roof is generally because of the weather elements. If you have damage on your roof, it does not automatically mean you will need a new roof but if you do not repair it then it can lead to replacing the roof. Doing the small repairs yourself or having them done is less expensive than repairing problems that are more serious or even replacing it.

One of the small problems you may have with your roof is leakages. A number of problems can cause leakage, which can include:

• Cracks on the roof
• Formation of blisters
• Cracks in the shingles
• Missing shingles
• Installation defect in the house siding

Precautions

Safety is the number one conce
when you do repairs on your roof. Make sure that you have a good sturdy ladder securely attached to the house and wear shoes with rubber, non-slip soles. Position the ladder near where you are doing the repair to minimize how much you have to walk on the roof. It is advisable to have someone on the ground in case anything goes wrong so they can help you out.

Repairing shingles

These can be damaged by storms or bad weather. You will need aluminum flashing one inch less than the damaged shingle strip and four inches more than it is long, a flat pry bar, and roofing cement. You first need to loosen the strip that is damaged and the ones on both sides with the pry bar. Apply the roofing cement below the shingle where you are going to place the new flashing. Insert the flashing, put some more cement above it, and push the shingle down. Apply enough pressure so it will properly attach to the flashing.

Repairing cracks

You should always make sure that your roof gutters are working properly. If they are not, it could lead to water clogging on the surface and damaging the roof. This can cause cracks and blisters to develop. When you do this type of roof repair, you have to soak all of the water up with cloths and absorbent materials first. Carefully inspect your roof to find the damage and remove the debris from the crack with a knife. Make sure that you do not dig too deep as you could cause more damage. Drain the water that has accumulated in the crack and let dry completely. Once dry apply roof cement on the crack to properly seal it.