Many people see roof installation as a difficult and intimidating task that should be left to the professionals. However, putting on your own roof is something that more and more homeowners are doing themselves. With the availability of DIY books chock full of roofing installation tips, this kind of project is well within the skill set of many a handy homeowner.
Even if you don't pour over publications with how-to illustrations and directions, there are basic tips for roofing installation that most manufacturers will provide with the roofing materials. A basic key is to follow the steps of the instructions in the order they are given. Getting ahead of yourself is a sure recipe for disaster. A steady-as-she-goes approach will help you avoid costly mistakes.
A general rule of the installation process is to begin on the outer perimeter of your roof and slowly proceed to the center or top of the home. This rule-of-thumb holds true for both the shingles and the roofing underlayment. You want to make sure you walk on top of the roofing materials as little as possible so as not to weaken the roof. If you limit walking on top of your roofing supplies, you'll minimize the possibility of physical accidents as well.
Again, take special care to follow all the instructions. Don't short change yourself with your roofing material either. A major no-no would be to skip the roofing underlayment or felt paper step. The felt paper provides an important layer of protection that will extend the life of your roof. If you can help it, try to limit roof installation to the warmer, drier months. Trapped moisture can compromise the roof's integrity.
Good roofing installation tips are not much more than good common sense brought to the work site. Always use all roofing materials as they are meant to be used. Don't adapt shingle material, for example, to avoid the purchase of metal flashing. Flashing is extremely important in preventing water entry. Always use it around objects that rise above the surface of the roof itself. Chimneys, vent pipes and skylights are examples of features that should be surrounded by flashing during roof installation.
Though you might want to save money on roofing materials, sacrificing quality will end up costing you more in the end. Stick to the tried and true reliable brands. You wont go wrong if you purchase materials from the likes of CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Tamko and GAF.
If you adhere to these basic roofing installation tips, your roof will last longer and cost you less to maintain. Even if you decide to hire a contractor to do the work, by having an idea as to the proper process, you'll insure that quality work is being done in front of you. At the end of the day (or however long it takes), what you want is a solid roof that will give you years of trouble-free protection.
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