Should You Try To Repair Your Roof Leaks?

It’s the middle of the night and something keeps dropping on your face. You snap out of a sound sleep, flailing wildly at the spider you image is falling on you only to discover that your face is soaking wet. You turn on the light and lo and behold, there is a steady drip-drip from the ceiling over your bed.

With a sinking heart, you realize that every homeowner’s worst nightmare has just come true – a leaky roof.

Prevention Is Priceless

It’s been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and nowhere is that more applicable than in the world of home ownership, maintenance, and repairs. If the nightmare scenario above hasn’t happened to you, count your blessings then get out your tools and get to work to maintain a trouble-free home.

Moisture

Water in the wrong place can destroy a house in no time. You need to check it out from top to bottom on a regular basis.

●      Roof Leaks

Unfortunately, roof leaks do happen from time to time. You should check the roof for leaks twice a year. Get up in the attic with a flashlight and examine it carefully for leaks and wet spots. It’s easier and cheaper to fix a small leak than a big one.

●      Gutters

If your house doesn’t have rain gutters you need to install them. They keep water from running down the side of the house and soaking the foundation. Too much water can lead to cracks in the slab, or it can seep into the joints between the slab and the flooring, causing it to swell and buckle.

●      Leaves

Leaves that accumulate on the roof or in the gutters will trap water, holding it in place instead of letting it drain off. They also provide mulch for wind-blown seeds to take root in. The roots those seeds send out will eventually begin tunneling into your roof, creating the conditions for future leaks.

What If Leaks Develop Anyway?

Sometimes a roof will develop a leak in spite of your best efforts. If you decide to fix the problem yourself, you need to know a few things about DIY roofing. Professional roofers spend all their time walking around on rooftops, getting accustomed to them the way a sailor gets used to the pitch and yaw of a ship, getting his “sea legs.” It’s easy to slip and fall on a slated surface. It’s even easier if you’re carrying a big sheet of plywood or OSB and a gust of wind comes along.

The natural human instinct to hold on tighter could lead to you being blown right off the roof. Whoops! Bang! Ouch! Doctor bills. You can do your own roofing if you want to save money, but be aware you’re out of your element and proceed cautiously. Be way overzealous about safety and it should work out just about right.

What You Need To Know

If the weekend warrior in you wants to do the work yourself, there are some handy tips to find and fix a leaking roof. Read everything you can get your hands on before you climb up the ladder. Don’t try to read it on your smartphone while you’re looking around on the roof. You only have two hands. With one of them occupied with the phone, it’s going to be difficult to hold tools and keep yourself steady with the other.

Roofing Contractors

The best thing to do is hire professional roof repair in Bloomington, IN. That assures you the job is done right and meets all the applicable city codes. Most homeowners regard city codes as a way for the city inspector to harass them but many of those codes were written in response to hard-earned lessons in the past. If you ignore them, you do so at your own peril, repair-wise as well as legally.

Naturally, there are some questions you need to ask the roofing contractor before hiring them.

●      Licenses

Are they licensed to do roofing work? Don’t take their word for it, ask to see their license.

●      Customer Service

How long does it take them to respond to customer inquiries? What is their online reputation? Talk to previous customers about them.

●      Length Of Time In Business

The longer they’ve been in the roofing business, the better they’ll be at it. Experience creates quality.

●      Previous Jobs

Ask for the addresses of previous houses they’ve worked on you can see their finished product. They should proud of showing it to you.