Roofing home improvement projects are not simple tasks
When it comes to home improvement, many homeowners feel like these tasks can be easily accomplished with some hard work on their end. While DIY home improvement is a great way to learn more about your home and apply some construction skills, certain projects should be left to the professionals. Roofing projects are one of the most difficult projects for homeowners to take on as they pose both a safety risk and chance of improper construction. And the last thing you will want is a leak that gets worse due to a mistake you made or, worse still, an accident happening to you.
The dangers of DIY roofing
- Risk of falling: One of the most obvious problems with DIY roofing is the chance of injury to yourself. And with roofing projects, you will run the risk of falling off your roof and severely injuring yourself! For homeowners with two story homes or bigger, this can even lead to death from such a high fall. Falls from a roof can happen due to a wide range of possibilities, from a ladder tipping over to slipping on a tile or loose shingle. Professional roofing contractors like our team at Stay Dry Roofing can perform the maintenance you need while staying safe from our top-of-the-line safety equipment and years of experience on the job.
- Improper repair: Many homeowners, and even inexperienced roofing contractors, often finish a job on a roof and think they are done. However, during the next big rain or wind storm, they quickly find out their repair was not good enough as leaks start occurring or shingles fly off the roof. This is all too common for do-it-yourself roof repair, as understanding a roof is much more complex than many people realize. For one, many roofs are considered a complete roofing system, meaning each part works in conjunction with another, and if something fails, it compromises other parts to the system. When you have a professional roofing contractor do your roof repair, we’ll be sure to inspect every part of your roof to make sure all damage is repaired properly.
- Voiding warranties: This concern is more of a danger to your wallet than your health, but doing work on your own roof may void the warranties that are in place! If you have recently had a roof repaired or replaced, many roofing contractors offer warranties on parts and materials as well as workmanship. If you try to make a repair yourself while your roof is under warranty, it can void the warranty for the rest of its duration. This is because roofing contractors are trusted to do their job right the first time and understand how to handle specific material properly. If you damage the roof or materials doing your own repair, the roofing contractor won’t be held responsible for any further damage or repair work. Its best to contact your roofing contractor if you have a problem to find out if your roof is still under warranty. If so, most repairs are done for free,
- Incorrect materials used: Most roofs use a very specific set of materials to ensure proper protection of your home. This include shingle type, underlay, treated wood, and much more. And most respected roofing contractors even use GAF roofing materials, the leading roofing manufacturer in the States. So if you are trying to do DIY roofing repairs yourself, the chances that you can find and use proper materials are slim. By using incorrect material for your roofing project, you run the risk of the repair ultimately failing. Whether that be from a continuous leak, or wood rotting from water, it is best to have a professional roofing contractor use approved materials so you, your family, and belongings can stay dry and safe in your home.
- Slow project completion: If you have a roofing concern, the chances are it has become an emergency. Most roofing problems are noticed when a leak occurs inside the home or parts of the roof are blown into the yard. At this point, damage is severe and you need to make repairs right away. However, DIY roofing is notorious for being slow due to lack of manpower and little experience. So, your repair will take much longer than necessary and often result in more damage occurring than if you had a professional roofing contractor help.
- Not a long term investment: A properly constructed and maintained roof can last you upwards of 10-20 years! But when you do your own roofing to such a sensitive part of your home structure, you really aren’t adding longevity. As stated above, proper materials and workmanship quality is necessary to keep a roof lasting a long time, but with DIY work, you may just cover a problem for a few weeks to a month, then need repairs again. In the end, you may be spending more time, money, and effort on something that could be an easy fix for a professional roofing contractor.
Choosing the roofing pros at stay dry roofing
Don’t put your health or the safety of your home at risk by doing your own home improvements to your roof. You’ll end up saving yourself time, money, and frustrations by making a call to Stay Dry Roofing. We have been providing roofing repair, maintenance, and replacement to Tampa Bay, FL and surrounding area clients for over 30 years! We are also GAF Master Elite certified, meaning we are trusted to provide exceptional work that can stand the test of time and mother nature! So the next time you think of getting on the ladder to work on your roof, give Stay Dry Roofing a call instead! You’ll be glad you did.
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