Is Repairing Roofing Shingles A DIY Job?

Is repairing roofing shingles a reasonable DIY job? We get that question quite often from homeowners in Naples since everyone wants to save money on home repairs wherever possible. Read on to find out what we tell our clients regarding roof repairs.

Do all the fixer-upper cable television shows inspire you to grab your toolbox and start working on your house? One thing that all of those shows have in common is that they sure make home renovations look easy. Still, no matter how majorly tempting it is to grab a hammer, we hope that you’ll listen to that little voice inside you that’s screaming at you to pause and think.

It’s certainly true that not all DIY projects are equal. There’s a significant difference, for instance, between painting your bedroom and repiping your whole house. Some essential questions to consider before you decide to complete a repair by yourself include:

• Do you know how to complete the project?
• Do you have the skills required to do a competent job?
• Are you physically able and have the strength for the task?
• Do you have the tools?
• Do you have the time?
• What are the downsides if you do subpar work?
• What are the physical dangers?

We recommend that you spend some serious time considering these questions before you commit to a roofing repair project. Be strict with yourself regarding the time commitment and your renovation abilities. The last thing that you’ll want to have happened is to begin roof work only to realize that you can’t finish it.

Given the above questions, does repairing roofing shingles fall into the category of a repair job that you think you can handle? We agree that, on the surface, fixing a few worn or loose roofing shingles doesn’t sound like too much of a challenge for a handy homeowner. However, let’s look at some of the reasons why you should leave roof repairs to the professionals.

Do you remember that we suggested you consider the potential downside of subpar work? Well, your roof is one area of your home that must not fall victim to shoddy repair work. Examples of the types of expensive damage that a poorly repaired roof can bring to your home include:

• Roof leaks
• Rotted structural wood
• Damaged drywall
• Mold
• Wet, ineffective insulation
• Increased fire risk

Indeed, ineffective roof repairs can cause significant and costly damage to your home. The money that you hoped to save by fixing a few roofing shingles yourself is nothing compared to the cost of considerable home repairs caused by a failing roof.

Along with the risk that unskilled work brings to the integrity of your roof, roofing work itself is a dangerous endeavor. Even professional roofers sometimes end up in the emergency room due to workplace accidents. Indeed, roofing is one of the top ten most dangerous professions in the United States. 

Working on a roof can cause you severe injury through things like:

• Falls from a ladder and roof
• Tumbling through a severely damaged roof surface
• Injuries from tools
• Hit by falling debris
• Electrocution by overhead power line
• Burns from roofing tar

Is possibly saving a few dollars by repairing roofing shingles yourself worth the risk of a severe injury? Why would you take on a task when even well-trained professionals get hurt performing it?

The great news is that you can affordably hire a professional roofing company to make minor roof repairs.

Why should you pull out your smartphone and call a professional roofing contractor for relatively minor repair issues? The primary reason to call in a professional roofer is that you won’t know for sure if the problem is genuinely small until an expert evaluates it. Our experienced roof inspectors can tell you countless stories about major roof problems that masquerade as quick fixes.

A homeowner misdiagnosing a roofing issue tends to lead to urgent calls to us for help down the line. The delay in diagnosing and correctly addressing the underlying problem with the roof increases the damage as well as the final cost to repair it. Don’t let your desire to save money on home repairs cause you to neglect serious roofing issues.

It’s always a smart idea to schedule an appointment with your local roofing contractor to evaluate the cause of your roof trouble. After all, maybe the shingles have experienced too much of southwest Florida’s sun and have curled with age. On the other hand, warped shingles can also be a sign of damaged underlayment. 

A top-notch roofing inspector will examine every element of your roof to determine the best way to go about repairing roofing shingles on your house. Don’t worry that hiring a professional contractor necessarily translates into a costly repair bill as companies like Tornado Roofing & Contracting Inc. take pride in offering the affordable roofing Naples homeowners crave.

There’s no denying that it’s smart to hire a professional roofer who can accurately diagnose the problem with your roof. We’ll go a step further and suggest that you’ll save money over the long-term when you invest in professional roof repairs. 

When you opt to invest in professional roofing service, you’ll benefit from the knowledge and experience of a highly trained team. The skilled roofing team members at Tornado Roofing & Contracting Inc., for instance, know the ins and outs of installing and maintaining all types of residential and commercial roofs in Naples. Knowing the tricks of working with different kinds of roofing materials is vital to the long-term performance of your roof.

In short, a professional roofer knows how to make your roofing system as waterproof as possible. While no roof will always withstand the overwhelming power of Category Five hurricane, a well-designed and maintained roof should be able to stand up to most storms. There has been a lot of study into making roofs hurricane-resistant, and you can rely on your roofing contractor to stay current with today’s roofing standards.

We can’t overstate how essential professional repairs and maintenance are for the safety of your home. Research into how hurricane-force winds and rain cause roofs to fail has been used to update building codes throughout Florida. Residential and commercial building standards include techniques designed to improve the chance that your roof will stay connected to the rest of the house during the next superstorm.