Many homeowners enjoy doing the occasional DIY work on their homes. It can be incredibly rewarding, and can end up being cheaper than hiring a professional (though not always!).
With that said, everyone knows that you should never try electrical or plumbing work yourself – but people should also be cautious when it comes to DIY roof repairs and restoration. Roof repairs and maintenance is one of the most hazardous things you can do around the home, and performing it incorrectly can cause serious damage to your home – not to mention the risk of injury. Read on to find out why it’s important to hire a roofing professional with years of experience.
Risk of Damage
Working on your roof sounds like a great idea for your wallet – save a few dollars by doing it yourself. However, working on your roof incorrectly can actually cost more in the long run.
Some reasons working on your roof might not be the best option include:
Broken tiles
When walking on a roof, especially tiled roofs, the amount of damage you can do to the tiles by slipping or falling can be surprising. Tiles are heavy and thick, made to protect your home from the elements – but this doesn’t make them immune to the shock of sudden impact. Roof tiles can easily crack or shatter if handled incorrectly, or even fall loose – leading to a roof tile that needs to be replaced.
Metal roofs can bend and warp
In the same way walking across tile roofs can cause damage, improperly traversing a metal or Colourbond roof can cause expensive problems. The weight of a person can bend or warp a metal roof – sometimes requiring the whole sheet to be replaced.
Incorrect repairs
Probably the most damaging thing we can do to our roofs, as well as our homes, is incorrectly installing or repairing something. Without your knowledge, water could be leaking into your home as a result of a loose panel, an incorrectly installed tile, the wrong roof sealant/paint and many more possible issues leading to thousands of dollars in repairs thanks to water or mold damage. Only an experienced, professional eye can guarantee that small mistakes like this won’t be made.
High Risk of Injury
As important as your roof is, it’s never more important than your safety. Without proper training, equipment and knowledge, working at heights is not safe. Roofing professionals have the appropriate training and protective gear to ensure they remain safe while working on your roof.
Problems that commonly cause home roofing injury include:
Unstable roofing
Roofs are built to withstand the tough Australian climate and harsh weather, but they’re not really designed for easy access. Steep roof angles and odd shapes can be difficult to safely navigate on a good day, but components like roofing tiles can easily become loose or slippery and present a real danger. If you don’t know how to identify the warning signs and how best to walk across these unstable surfaces, you could easily damage your roof or badly injure yourself.
Improperly placed ladders
Nearly 20 percent of all falling injuries (including in the workplaces) involve a ladder. While climbing a ladder is very simple, a ladder placed against an uneven surface or not locked into place properly can take anyone by surprise. If these accidents happen in a professional setting, it isn’t hard to imagine the risk is increased in a DIY setting.
Weather
The Australian climate is one of the harshest in the world, and while we know it can damage your roof, it can also be dangerous for you! When working on roofs, it’s important to always be conscious of the weather. If it’s sunny, plenty of sunscreen and water is needed. If it’s windy, you need to make sure you’re properly situated on the roof. If it’s very windy it’s better to wait until the winds drops off or to choose another day. And if it’s raining, forget it – being on a roof when it’s raining is one of the most dangerous places to be. Roof material (by design) becomes very slippery when wet, leading to major slipping hazards. Of course if there is a storm with any strong winds, hail, lightning or rain, the roof is the last place you should be!
Benefits Of Hiring a Roofing Professional for Your Home?
So now that you know some of the risks associated with trying to DIY your roof repairs and inspections, here are some great reasons to hire a roofing professional:
Experience
A roofing professional, like one of our experienced members at Right Roofing in Brisbane, receives the required training and qualifications to work properly and safely on your home. As an H.I.A member with years of roofing experience, we provide high quality work that you can depend on.
Equipment
A roofing professional will bring with them all the equipment they need to work on your home, from safety equipment to specialised roofing tools. When working at height, any fall could potentially be lethal – so it is incredibly important to make sure that workers have the right safety equipment so they can focus on the job and give you the highest possible quality of work.
Peace of Mind
At Right Roofing, we are a fully licensed and insured provider with a QBCC License, white card, working at heights ticket, public liability insurance, all personal insurances and a minimum 10 year warranty on all roof restorations. We are committed to safety and high quality workmanship because we understand how important your home is.
Contact A Roofing Professional
If you have work that needs to be done on your roof, put the safety of yourself and your roof first by hiring a roofing professional. For a roofing professional in Queensland with years of experience, give Right Roofing a call on 0431 962 819 or fill out our contact form here to find out how our friendly team can help.
