When you are in need of repairs or new installations for your roof, it is recommended that you hire a professional. However, if you attempt to make these repairs on your own, make sure you avoid the following mistakes.

Improper Installation of Valley Flashing

One of the more common areas of a roof to not be installed properly is the valley the flashing. This is the location of a roof where two sections of the pitch meet, putting it most at risk of damage from running water. The water will run down the flashing on its way to the gutter and downspout. If you fail to install it properly, it could leak to gaps or lack of sealant, which causes leaks inside the home. You need to make sure it is installed correctly and is completely secure. If you are installing brand new flashing, make sure it is underneath shingles or other roofing materials where they overlap the flashing, instead of on top of these materials. That helps to reduce gaps.

Installing Multiple Layers of Shingles

While some roofing contractors will install new shingles over old ones, it is not recommended when you are doing your own roofing repairs. This requires paying close attention to the overall weight of shingles when you have multiple layers of shingles, which can be hard for you determine on your own. It also makes it more difficult when you need to inspect your roof later on, as you won't know where the fragile areas are for the shingles underneath the top layer. Remove the old shingles completely before you attempt to install new ones.

Not Preparing For Ice Dams

Ice dams can be very damaging to your roofing materials, but they might be prevented. The occur when snow melts on the roof, and the water drips down to the edge of the roof, where it re-freezes. This is common when the roofing materials are too hot and melt the snow prematurely, but it is still cold enough out for the water to re-freeze quickly. However, if you have installed an underlayment on the roof before the roofing materials, you are able to give it another layer of protection that hopefully prevents warming up of the roofing materials to melt the snow. Adding more vents in the roof that allow proper ventilation of the attic, which tends to get hot, is another good way to prevent ice dams.

For more roofing tips, contact a company like Roof Plus.