A household project that can strike fear into the heart and pocketbook of a homeowner is roof repair. Need new shingles or gutters, or do you actually have a hole causing major damage inside? Some people are lucky enough to have their roof repaired and paid for by insurance (due to weather damage), but if your roof is just old and needs some repairs those can get costly in a hurry. We have some recommendations on how to handle those issues.
1. Inspect your roof a couple of times per year so you can be on the lookout for potential problems. This gives you the opportunity to notice shingle problems or bad gutters. By doing some preventative maintenance you can prevent the big expenses and trouble from happening later. Make these inspections during the spring and summer when its not to hot on your roof or worse, not freezing cold and dangerously icy.
2. Whenever climbing on your roof avoid doing it under the hot summer sun. The warm shingles won't hold onto the granules and they'll come loose as you walk on them. This shortens the life.
3. Check your flashing for any issues. Nail down any loose or warping pieces and be sure to nails of the same metal type to avoid rust and corrosion.
4. If you have a chimney check the area where the flashing meets the roof. If you have gaps from cement or tar shrinkage repair those areas with the same sealant type to prevent future leaks.
5. If your roof flashing is bulging try putting a piece of wood on the bulging area and hammer on the wood to flatten the area, Do this rather than hammering directly on the shingle. If this doesn't work, it could be that there's water damage under the area and the wood itself has swollen. In these cases replacing the damaged section is required.
6. If you notice problems with your gutters don't attempt to fix them from atop your roof. You could easily lose your balance and fall off the edge. Make note of the problem locations and tackle them from a ladder off the ground.
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