Residential Roof Repair – Asphalt Shingles
How do you know when you need a roof repair? This is the kind of residential roof repair question every home owner needs to think about from time to time. It’s important not to take your roof for granted, you should not just assume that your roof is fine. You need therefore, to carry out regular scheduled inspections at least once a year or after some particularly bad weather for you to know whether it needs repair or not. You want to keep your roof in a tip-top shape always because your roof fails then you are putting the rest of your house at risk of damage.These checks include:
Checking Inside The Loft Space to Evaluate the Roof
Do you see some sagging on your roof? You can check this by looking at the highest level of your roof; the sagging can be because of some part of the loft structure or the upper crawl space is failing. If you notice any sagging then you need to address it very fast because it might lead to roof caving during extreme weather. This level of repair is best left to a professional roofing company who are experts at residential roof repair.
You can inspect the ceiling too, using your flashlight check if you can see some dark sports and trails. If this is true then you will know that there is a possibility of moisture and water getting in and soaking the ceiling. There can be some kind of leaks on the roof that you need to take care of immediately or you’ll risk getting some major water damage the next time a storm happens.
When you are checking inside the roof space look to see if daylight is streaming in at any place. This could mean that your roof has some hole or holes that you need to repair as fast as possible. You should check also for the general water damage and signs of leaking on your roof. You may also notice some sort of discoloration and some other imperfections which could indicate small amounts of water leaking through.
Here is An Example of One Of The Worst Residential Roof Repairs Ever!
Now it is time to fix the leak
First of all, if you decide to take on the task of doing any kind of residential roof repair make sure you are comfortable walking on a roof surface and that you’re capable of using the necessary tools while you’re up there. Following these steps will teach you how to fix a water leak on an asphalt shingle roof. Having the correct equipment for this particular job is very important; otherwise it will be a challenge to completely fix the problem.
The first step is to find the source of the problem, where water is leaking in and cleaning it. Removing the damaged shingle or shingles is crucial in the patching process. The best tool is a flat pry bar. Using the flat side to of the bar, lift the offending shingle by releasing the nails along its top edge.
When you are certain the bad shingles are removed, line up the new shingles and arrange the to fit back into the place of the old ones – Starting from the bottom and working upwards. Using a utility knife, trim excess pieces to complete the patching process. You don’t need to be a DIY expert to fix your own roof, but if you’re not accustomed to this type of work then it’s usually better to hire a professional. Although the process seems relatively easy, the practical part can prove a little more difficult. Most important part of all, work safely. Most accidents on construction sites involve falling from ladders or elevated positions like scaffolding, or roofs.