The roof of your house can be easy to forget about at times as it’s out of sight. However, many things can damage your roof, including bad weather and pests. When your roof is damaged, this can result in further issues with the structure of your home if you’re not careful. Leaks can cause damp or brick rot if left unchecked, and your insulation will be compromised if there is a hole in your roof, too. Loose tiles can also be a safety hazard if they end up falling from your roof to the ground.
If you do have roof damage and are not familiar with this kind of work, it’s always sensible to call in a professional roofer to assess it and fix it for you. However, if you are confident in your skills and would like to repair the roof yourself, here are some of the key tools and equipment items you’ll need for the job.
Ladder and Access Platform
Firstly, you will need a ladder and a safe access platform set up to get onto your roof. These are essential as you can not be expected to balance on your roof all day. The access platform can help you get onto your roof and see what you’re doing much easier. If your roof is old or fragile, you could even buy or hire a platform that is designed for fragile roof access. Visit easi-dec to find out more information about this.
Protective Clothing
You will also need to think carefully about what you can wear when repairing your roof. Of course, old clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty or torn are a must, but you’ll also need protective gear to keep you safe and comfortable while you’re working. Thick working gloves are a great idea, as handling sharp tools and tiles might lead to cuts on your hands. A hard hat should also be worn to protect your head from any debris. You might want to look at getting some safety harnesses, too, in case you slip or fall from the roof accidentally, and safety glasses might also be useful if you’re cutting tiles.
Crowbar
A crowbar will come in handy to help you pry off any old shingles that you need to remove to make way for new ones. Get spare crowbars in case you misplace one, and also to make sure that they are enough so that whoever is helping you can do this work as well. You will need someone to help you repair your roof even if you are skilled, as this will make the job safer and easier to complete.
Tarp
While you will want to get the repairs done on your roof as quickly as possible, bigger jobs can take days to complete. To protect your home from water damage and to stop other things from getting in through the holes in your roof, make sure you have some tarp that you can secure in place to protect your work in progress and act as a barrier to the outside world.
You will need a lot more tools and equipment to fix your food, including a hammer, roof nails, electric drill, and so on. However, the above can sometimes be overlooked for those who aren’t professional roofers, so make sure you have these in place, too.