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Quick Tips

Tip: Repair Your Own Roof

Now that the rainy season is nearly over, homeowners tend to turn their attention to spring and summer related home repairs and maintenance, such as landscaping and painting.

However, if it’s doubtful how much longer you can dare to ignore repairing or replacing you roof, check with a reputable roofing contractor now during the fair weather. You’ll find their services more available and economical than in late summer and the fall when their waiting lists and prices inevitably grow.

A: If you have a stain on the ceiling that appears to be drying out, you can probably rule out the possibility of a plumbing problem and start looking at the roof.

Sometimes a water leak can take up to a year to discover because the drip has to go through the insulation, and then a half inch of drywall before you notice a stain on the ceiling. I’ve seen roofs that have been leaking for a couple years before the owners noticed. If you ignore it and the water touches any wood, it can become dryrot after a year, which will lead to far more extensive, and expensive damage.

A: With over 20 years of experience, I can often climb on a roof and see exactly where it is coming from: a vent, a cracked or curled shingle or broken or cracked tile. These things could have happened from a tree limb falling on a roof, a kid throwing a rock or a major wind storm.