11 Tips for Safe Roof Repairs

WHEN you see that your roof is leaking even with just a little rain, it’s a big sign that there’s an enormous problem with your roof system even if it has ceiling insulation. You are not happy to see water from leaking roof make a serious damage on your belongings especially important papers and electronic gadgets. This time, the words ‘roof repair’ will come out from your mind.

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:

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.