Is DIY roofing a good idea? Honestly, no, it’s not.
If, however, you’re considering fixing your own roof anyway, you must at least understand the risks you’re taking. Below, we list several significant risks of DIY roof repair.
For instance, your amateur attempts might do no good at all. Or, they might do more harm than good.
Worst of all, all roofing work includes a high chance of death from falling. And saving a few dollars on roof repair certainly isn’t worth your life. So, before you throw caution to the wind, read on to learn exactly what dangers you’re facing with DIY roofing.
1. Significant Risk of Injury or Death
This risk is no joke. Even professional roofers die from falling off of roofs—hundreds of them per year, in fact. Falls are the number one cause of death in the construction industry.
In our opinion, this reason alone should be enough to discourage any and all amateur roof repair attempts. Still, if you’re resolute in this course of action, you absolutely must take the proper safety precautions. Here’s an overview of DIY roofing dangers and how to avoid them.
Ladder Safety
It’s very common for falls to occur even before the worker gets to the roof. For instance, the ladder may be unstable because it isn’t set on level ground or isn’t secured in the proper, open position.
Also, many ladders warn you not to step on the very top platform or on the tool shelf. These are not stable platforms for standing. Prior to patching your roof, learn about and implement proper ladder safety techniques.
Safety Gear
You might also fall as you lunge after your hammer when it starts sliding off the roof. It should be secured in your toolbelt when not in your hand. This is just one example of why you must research and use the necessary tools and safety gear when working on the roof.
Check the Weather
Bad weather can blow your ladder down or cause you to slip off the roof. Check the weather report beforehand and only do the job when clear weather is expected.
Fall Prevention Systems
There are many safety systems you can set up to keep you from falling. Utilize a safety harness, fall arrest system, or other fall prevention system when doing roof work.
The Safer Alternative
Ultimately, though, understand that there’s only one way to avoid DIY roofing dangers. Namely, call in roofing repair professionals.
2. You Might Make No Difference at All
Next, what exactly do you know about repairing your particular roofing problem anyway? If your answer is a how-to video on YouTube, that’s not exactly a good sign. That is, your 20 minutes of instruction is a poor substitute for the years of experience that a professional roofer brings to the job.
More to the point, no two roof repair jobs are the same. For instance, roof leaks all vary by the type/extent of damage and whether there are any complications. Only a professional knows how to evaluate and solve each particular leak.
However, we understand that you may be trying to gain experience in order to improve your roofing skills. Unfortunately, an unsupervised, novice attempt is not the right way to gain this experience. The proper way is to apprentice under an experienced roofing contractor.
3. You Might Make It Worse
Furthermore, doing the job wrong is often worse than ignoring it completely. Yes, it’s true that leaks will quickly get worse if you do nothing at all.
But what about when you patch the leak improperly? One problem with this is that it often provides the illusion that the problem is solved.
In reality, the patch might still let in a small, unnoticeable amount of moisture. Since the problem is unnoticeable, you’ll think that it’s fixed, and then ignore it. While you do, the problem continues to get worse.
Another problem is that a bad patch job may seal in moisture, trapping it within your roofing. This causes the blistering, weakening, and eventual peeling of your roofing.
4. You Might Miss Important Roof Issues Entirely
Here’s another way that a lack of experience leads to the worsening of your roof. While you’re patching the leak that you know about, your untrained eyes are blind to the roof issues that you don’t know about.
When a roofing expert fixes your roof, they’ll surely inspect for any other damage. This inspection often reveals other repairable issues that you haven’t noticed.
That’s why you should be getting a yearly roof inspection anyway. These issues are unnoticeable because they’re in their early stages and therefore easy to fix. A professional roofing contractor helps you catch these problems before the damage spreads.
5. It Will Probably Cost More
Does your roof warranty cover unlicensed roofing work? If you’re not sure, don’t risk it.
Warranty providers only trust certified roofing contractors. That’s essentially the reason why these certifications exist. So, there’s a good chance that your DIY solution will void your warranty.
And this is especially ridiculous, since the only reason you’d repair your own roof is to save money. But voiding your warranty will cost you a lot more than simply hiring a professional.
Speaking of which, it will also cost more to fix the patch job that you messed up in the first place. And it costs more to repair the advanced problems that a professional roofer could have noticed much sooner. Ultimately, DIY roofing is not at all a cost-effective solution.
Avoid These DIY Roofing Risks
As you can see, DIY roofing simply isn’t worth the risks. So, when you need your roof repaired, always leave it to the professionals.
Speaking of which, you can trust Atlanta Roof Repair for all your roofing needs. Contact us here to schedule an appointment, get an estimate, or ask us any questions you have.
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