You might also think that you can carry out the roof
repair on your own. It’s just an easy task. But in reality, it’s not. This job is
hazardous and very dangerous if you are not very cautious. There is nothing
under the sun that is risk-free and repairing leak roofs are no exception. Roof repairs will involve climbing and walking
on the structure that may cause slipping and falling off a roof that usually
result to major injury and sometimes even death.
Undertaking
precautionary measures will ensure that you will not only work efficiently but
also safely. This is very important to protect you from any type of accident
when you are carrying out this kind of work.
If you are serious to repair your leaking roof on your own,
here are 11 tips that you can follow to avoid saying sorry in the end.
1. Plan Your Roof Repair. Before starting to work, it’s beneficial to plan it first: Where do you start and end? Where do you place debris, tools and other materials? These things if left scattered will become hazards.
2. Wear
rubber-soled shoes, safety glasses, gloves and tool belt. Rubber-soled
shoes will help prevent slips and falls as this type of shoes provide excellent
traction compared to leather-soled shoes. Wearing safety glasses is a
protection for eyes from flying debris. Gloves will protect your hands from
sharp objects that you will encounter. And tool belt will hold all your tools
and provide your hands with freedom you need when moving on the roof.
3. Use a stable
ladder. Before using a ladder, you should inspect it to make sure that it
is strong and stable. You must be sure that it can sustain your weight and should
be of the right length so that you will not stand at the top rung and will
provide you with stability you need.
4. Use Fall Protection Systems. Some fall
protection systems you can use when doing home roofing repairs are guard rails,
personal fall arrest systems, and safety nets. Only climb onto the roof with
personal fall protection in place.
5. Don’t Step on
Damaged Areas. Don’t walk on severely damaged areas that appear to have
loose shingles or tiles to avoid slipping and possibly plummeting off the
housetop.
6. Don’t Walk on Snow or Ice. Don't walk on roof covered with snow or
ice, specially if it has a steep slope, because it is extremely dangerous.
7. Dry Roof Before Working. You should dry the entire top of the house before you walk on it. And
should not attempt to walk on the top of your home roof when it is still wet.
8. Safety with Power Tools. When working on a roof
with power tools, your should protect your hands by wearing gloves that are
sturdy and make sure that the power tools are plugged into an outlet with
ground fault protection. In cases where the power tool is excessively noisy, use
ear protection when the tool is in use.
9. Wear Harness Properly.
There is a great danger when working in hard-to-access areas on top of homes. You
should always wear a safety harness that is securely attached to a structure
that can easily support your body weight in case of a fall.
10. Repair on Sunny
Day. Though it’s hot to work on this day, it’s far more secure than working
in the rain where slipping percentage is high.
11. Hire a Reliable
Contractor. If your roof is above two stories and there’s serious damage on
it, it’s better to hire a reliable
contractor. And not only reliable but a license and expert roof repair contractor who
can offer guarantees that roofing repair can be done correctly and efficiently
without needing to work at it again for 10 years or more.
Here's a video demonstrating rooftop safety while performing roof repairs. Watch it and learn:
Here's a video demonstrating rooftop safety while performing roof repairs. Watch it and learn:
Leak-free roof is one of the most important part of your
home but it’s less valuable than your life. I hope the tips above will help you
in your roof repair a safe one.
