Roof leaks, missing shingles, poor installation, snow and ice dam, tree damage, blocked gutter — these are only a few of the many problems you may have encountered in your roof. Roof repairs can be costly. And with so many DIY instructional videos you can find on YouTube, it wouldn’t be surprising if you attempt to do roof repair on your own.
However, while roof leak repair can be done without any experience needed, there are still some roof issues that are best left to the pros; or else you will end up with greater roof damage and more expensive repair. Davis Roofing has prepared 5 risks that you should watch out for when attempting DIY roof repairs:
DIY Roof repair risks to avoid
- Improper Repair
The DIY instructions that you can follow on your video platforms for roof repair are limited only to the condition of the roof being repaired on the video. If you attempt to repair your roof on your own, you might encounter issues along the way that were not mentioned in the video. Being a homeowner without enough training in roof repair, your eyes aren’t trained to identify little issues. You thought you had performed the job properly, well, not until a roof leakage occurred.
- Nullifying Warranty
Roofing materials have warranties that will protect the owner against manufacturing defects. However, most warranties only apply if the materials are professionally installed. If you attempt to DIY repair any issues on your roof, you might get your warranty void.
- Safety Risks
One thing that professional roof repair contractors have that DIY wannabes don’t have is training. Professional roof contractors have enough training and equipment, not to mention the experience, to be able to install or repair roof problems without the risks of injury. Climbing on your roof is already dangerous enough, how much more if you walk on it while carrying heavy tools and equipment. As much as you want to save money on your roof repairs, you have to prioritize your safety first.
- Rejected Insurance Claim
Most of the insurance providers don’t include non-professional installations and repairs on the coverage because it is very risky on their part as there is a high possibility that the repair won’t go well. Doing DIY repairs on your roof, especially without informing your insurer, is ground enough to deny your future claim.
- Risk of further damage
Most homeowners attempting to repair their roof problems on their own only rely on instructional videos found on the internet. Without proper knowledge and training, you can risk doing more damage to your roof than fixing it. More damage means more expensive repairs.
While it is nice to be able to fix minor issues on your roof, you should also know when to contact a professional contractor. The keyword with DIY is ‘minor.’ If it involves a labor-intensive roof job, then it would be smart to leave the experts with it.
