You can do your own roofing repair, as long as you learn the nuances of your particular type of roof, and its materials. Certain types of roofing repair should only be done professionally, so you’ll want to do some extensive research before an attempt at DIY roofing.

Since roofing repair can be dangerous, take certain safety precautions during DIY roof repairs, such as:

• Access your roof via ladder that secures to the house in at least two places during DIY roofing.
• Never do DIY roof repairs in icy or rainy conditions.
• Rent or buy a roofer’s ladder that hooks to the ridge of the roof to prevent slips and falls during roofing repair.
• Use a safety harness or belt attached to a secure area of the roof, such as a chimney.

DIY Roofing: Isolating Problems

The primary objective of DIY roof repairs is to identify the source of the problem. In roofing repair, this means finding roof leaks. The best way to discover roof leaks is to go into the attic when it rains.

Leaks near the wall may indicate a clogged gutter. In such cases, the only roofing repair necessary involves clearing debris from the roof and gutters. Areas around vents, chimneys and flashings are other likely spots where leaks develop. Rusted flashings or worn caulking may be the culprit, causing the need for DIY roof repairs.

Replacing Shingles, Tile Roof Repair, and Flat Roof Repair

Storms can cause damage to roofs, sometimes necessitating roof replacement. If roof damage is minor, however, DIY roofing repair can save both money and the hassle of finding a roofing repair contractor.

Replacing shingles is not a terribly difficult DIY roofing task. Torn or ripped shingles can be repaired by tucking flashing cut to fit under the tabs of the damaged shingle. Pry the shingle off and put a piece of flashing that is cut an inch shorter than the shingle underneath. Use a few beads of roofing cement to secure it to the underlayment, and then apply more roofing cement to the flashing, securing the shingle in place over the flashing.

Flat roof repair is considerably safer, as there is no angled slope from which to fall from. As with other types of DIY roofing, the first thing to do for flat roof repair is find the leak, which may not be directly above where moisture enters the building. Blisters in the roof’s membrane may also cause leaks, so make sure the membrane around the blister is not cracked. Places where the roof membrane is split should be covered with a bitumen compound and then patched. If the leak is due to a burst blister, dry it with a hot air stripper before filling it with warm asphalt for flat roof repair.

Tile roof repair is trickier, as tiles are heavy and brittle, and they break easily if walked upon. For tile roof repair it is highly recommended to find a roofing repair contractor that specializes in such roof types.