Before You Attempt to Roof Your House – Think!

In effort to save money, homeowners will attempt to do the repairs or re-roof their home themselves. The first thing that would make any one advise against this is the danger involved. The second thing is that you could very well make things worse and end up having to call a professional to fix what was originally wrong in addition to what you did wrong.

No matter how handy you are around the house, without the proper equipment, supplies and tools, roofing matters need to be left up to the professionals to get the job done right. The smallest leak in a roof can be harmful to the occupants. If you aren't experienced and trained in roofing, you won't know how to look for leaks.

If you have a leak in one room, it could very well be coming from the other side of the house. Leaks can be hard to detect for somebody that hasn't worked with roofing. A professional roofing contractor, such as DunRite, has years of experience and have tackled just about any kind of roofing problem. Roofs are steep and, even if they are a flat roof, they are still on top of the house, which can be 30 feet or more in the air. They are often slick from surface mold and without sufficient safety precautions and training, an unskilled person is very prone to danger that can cause severe injury and even be life threatening.

When it comes to your safety and the soundness of your home, calling a professional roofer is best. Many times, the repair or replacement is covered by homeowner insurance and a life is much more valuable than the cost of a deductible.

Going Green on the Roof

“Green Roof” is pretty much a catchall phrase, being that any roof with vegetation growing is a “Green Roof”. It is also called an “Eco-roof”, a trend that started during the 70s in Germany but has slowly spread around the world in other countries too.

The purpose of the “green roof” movement was for advocates to find more green space in urban areas that are barren. They found that with more green roofs, their energy and environmental benefits increased too. The movement to the US was slow, but now it is common to find green roofs in cities like Chicago, Illinois and Asheville, North Carolina on larger civic buildings. They are even incorporated into new residences architect designs.

For existing homes, owners are hesitant to build a green roof due to weight concerns, but the fact is that green roofs can be made lightweight and not but as much pressure on the roof as you may think. Existing roofs that have up to 30 degree pitch are perfect for a green roof. The effect that taking a plain, dead looking roof and going green is amazing and can be an enjoyment for the homeowner and the occupants as well as neighboring houses that have upstairs view.