There really is no work like the work you do with your own hands – on your own home. Even though a house is quite a complex thing to work on, it is still made up of mostly very simple individual parts that quite realistically can be repaired by almost anyone. Paint-work, for instance, is often very easy to do – with a little thought and carefulness. But can you really do everything yourself? Let us look at what it takes to install roofing felt – something a lot of people want to tackle themselves.
Roofing felt is a bitumen-based product mostly available in rolls. It is great if you want to build or repair a so-called flat roof (which isn’t entirely flat but actually slopes a few degrees), as it is possible to make the roof completely impervious to water – if used right. Most other roofing materials, like shingles, have to be laid on a pitched roof sloping at least twenty percent, or rain coming in at a shallow angle – as it sometimes does when there is strong wind – will find its way in between the shingles and into to the wooden construction. Many people choose to roof felt for a flat roof like a garage roof for this reason, but also because it is rather cheap, can last for a long time and can look very nice too.
You may very well get away with a garage roofing job using roof felt, as it is usually a simple roof construction with few or no windows, vents or funny angles. These elements of a roof present a challenge when roofing with feeling since this material is at it’s most vulnerable where one piece ends and another begins. Not so different from other roofing materials you might say, but still very important. If you, like many others over time, have been getting the impression that felt roofing is a walk in the park, then you may be surprised to learn of the kind of skill and experience needed to do a good job, once the roof is more than just a rectangle to be covered. As long as there is an appreciable slope on the roof, it is less of a problem. But when the roof is almost flat, there is a bigger risk of puddles forming here and there on the roof. It doesn’t much of a hollow to trap a little water. If this is situated around roof ventilation, which actually represents a penetration of the roof, then there is a risk, if the felt around the vent has not been laid correctly. If water is allowed to stand for even a few days, it will eventually find any weak spot – and you have a leaking roof.
This is why it might be a good idea to at least consult someone who offers a roofing service, before tackling the work on your own. Any roofing company of good repute should be able to help you there. If you want to, you can have them inspect the roof for you to raise your awareness about any pitfalls – or you can simply hire them to do a whole new roof for you.
Doing roof repairs yourself is alright, but sometimes it is better left to the pros. You must be able and ready to make that decision if you want to your roof to last.
