The month of March—when temps are beginning to rise but before the Spring rains is the ideal time to get down and dirty with those maintenance projects. Or perhaps your rainy season is already here? Either way, J.B. Sassano, president of Mr. Handyman, a commercial and residential repair, maintenance, and improvement franchise says that March “home maintenance projects can extend the longevity and improve the quality of your home, inside and out.”
Once all the snow and ice have melted, it’s important to inspect your roof thoroughly for damaged shingles and leaks, especially if your home developed any dreaded ice dams over the winter.
- Here’s how you inspect your roof from the inside: if you can access your attic, check underneath your roof during or just after a heavy rain for signs of damp spots or drips. Pay particular attention to chimneys, where leaks around the flashing are common.
- Next, inspect your roof from the outside, you can use a ladder to climb up on the roof or climb out onto the roof from your attic, if that’s safely accessible to you. Here’s a tip: take it easy on yourself by checking your roof with a pair of binoculars while standing firmly—and safely—on the ground.
- Take a close look at your roofing (either from the ground or up top) to check for loose and missing shingles, worn and rusted flashing, and cracked boots around vent pipes. If you’re actually up there, use your gloved hands or a brush to sweep away any leaves and debris to prevent water buildup, as well as get a better look at the condition of your roof.
Now that you know what needs to be done, you may be able to do the basic DIY roof repairs yourself, or decide to hire a roofing contractor to do them for you. A professional roofing contractor will inspect your roof for free, but will charge for repairs: $95 to $127 to replace broken or missing asphalt shingles; $200 to $500 to replace boots and flashing.
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