| By :
John Markus
Major roof repair is for the experts, and you should not attempt them yourself. However, you can repair small leaks and bad shingles yourself. This is a good idea to do, because there are all sorts of little things that can go wrong with your home, and you don't want to call out a repairman for everything. Maybe the lock on the front door does not work, or you have a cracked window. Little things such as these, and minor roof repairs, can be done by you if you have a little bit of ingenuity. First of all, when looking at your roof problem, you need to figure out if you need a professional. There are some leaks that are caused by small problems. It might just be one torn shingle or a little hole in some flashing. These are things you can handle yourself if you have a few basic tools. If the situation is much worse than this, you should call a professional as soon as you can. Remember that water damage causes major problems fast. You should definitely call in your licensed professional roofer if you have multiple leaks on your roof, or if the leak is spreading across the members of the frame or along your walls, and you cannot easily determine where the leak is. You also should call the professional if the leak repair you tried is not working. Also call in the pro if the leak involves a lot of damage to the roof or flashed parts. Also, if the roof is made of ceramic tile, it's probably beyond the skill of a DIY job. However, let's say you have found that you have one damaged shingle on your roof from a storm. You should buy some roofing cement and a few pieces of flashing (aluminum). You will cut your flashing 1 inch more narrow than the part that was ripped, and about four inches more in length. This is so it will extend under the tabs on each side. You will need to use a pry bar to very gently loosen up the damaged shingle and a bit of the shingle on the left and the right. Then you will need to put on a few beads of roofing cement on the surface under the shingle. If you have wood shingles, let's say you need to replace them because they have split. This will happen over time from weather. You will need to grab a chisel and a hammer. Then you need to split the shingle up with these items, and pull out the pieces with pliers. You then put the blade of a hacksaw under the shingle. Cut through any nails that was holding the shingle on the roof. Then you will use a utility knife to shape the new shingle into a piece that will fit that space. You then will put the shingle in its place and tap it with your hammer until it is around 1 inch from the position it needs to be. You then need to pound in two nails at an angle that is upward, and this is under the edge of the shingle above it. Next, you use a block and hammer to put the new shingle in its proper place.
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