Should your roof be your next DIY project?

You are pretty handy; you know your way around your toolbox. You can fix your leaking sink, so when your roof needs attention, why not add another project under your belt? Roofing and roof repairs seem to be an easy enough project to tackle, but just ask any professional roofer how many roofs needed to be replaced after an unknowledgeable person attempted a roof repair. While the prospect of saving money might seem intriguing enough, there are many reasons why a roof should never be a DIY project. 

1. Roofing is complicated. The roof may seem simple enough, but a roof is actually a complex system of layers that need to be installed correctly to keep water from intruding into your home. Even the slightest miscalculation can wreak havoc on your roof system. It takes years of apprenticeship to become a journeymen roofer, and without this knowledge, a roof repair or roof replacement can be disastrous and expensive!

2. Hiring a professional is cost effective. While the initial cost of hiring a professional and reputable roofer may seem high, it is important to take into consideration that a professional roofer has all the tools and years of experience necessary to ensure your roof projected is done correctly. Most homeowners do not have all of the tools and equipment on hand that are necessary for a roof project, so when you account for the cost of that, plus the cost of materials, and the value of your own time, hiring a professional roofer is not far off. In addition, the cost to repair / replace mistakes that were made due to the lack of experience can be very expensive to fix. 

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3. SAFETY. Of all of the reasons that your roof should not be a DIY project, safety is the most important. According to OSHA, there are over 1,000 fatalities every year in the construction industry, and almost 1/3^rd of those injuries is the result of a fall. That number is actually incredibly low because of OSHA’s strict standards that require employers to ensure the safety of employees. Construction workers are extensively trained and use equipment to ensure their safety. Roofers especially undergo special training to ensure that they go home everyday injury and illness free. But you – you probably have not had that training. You likely do not have years of daily experience navigating a roof – you may even be a little shaky climbing up a ladder. (Side note: do you know the appropriate angle to set up a ladder?). 

There are more than 164,000 emergency room injuries related to falls from a ladder every year, and most ladder deaths come from falls under 10 feet. The bottom line is roofing is incredibly dangerous and should be left to professionals.