Roof Repair Tips and How to Fall Off a Roof in Record Time

Planning to save some money on roof repairs by doing it yourself? This is great if you know what to do and prefer to resist calling a roofing contractor to do the job. Be forewarned however that the money you save on fixing your roofing shingles may result in a hefty bill from the hospital. If that's what you were hoping to achieve, here are some helpful guidelines for falling off your roof (or ladder) faster than you can say "Jack Robinson!" 

• Wait until it's really pouring down rain and climb up on your roof on the slick shingles. It's a bonus if the wind is blowing really hard too.
• Even better, wait until a spring thaw and overnight freeze and then get up there in your rubber-soled sneakers. It's perfect for landing on your nose before slipping over the edge.
• Stay a little longer for cocktail hour after work to toast your team's latest accomplishments and then venture up on the ladder when you get home. If your blood alcohol level doesn't get you pulled over by the state highway patrol first your roof will surely eject you.
• On that note, wait until you are lounging in bed recovering from the flu and drugged up with flu medication causing drowsiness. Chug it down, wait for 15 minutes and then try to coordinate your limbs off the top of the ladder.
• Put on your safety harness and secure it to the small satellite dish mounted on the edge of the roof with 4 tiny screws. Now lean over the edge as far as you can go. Very effective.
• Here's one of the all-time favorites - set your 6-ft. ladder on top of a scaffold rather than bringing out your extension ladder. Don't waste the time to lock the wheels on the scaffold.
• This one is really cool - place your extension ladder on the peak side of the roof just where you can't quite reach to climb over the edge. "Walk" the ladder by jumping in the air for a split second and yanking it sideways, all while working from an upper rung.
• Last but not least, challenge yourself by hunkering your body over the kitchen skylight since it reminds you of your old days as a rock-climber. Hopefully you don't have a pot of hot soup on the stove when you bust through the glass and land on it.

Now, of course no one wishes for you to have this kind of accident, so take all the necessary safety precautions before attempting your own roof repairs. If you feel in any way uncertain about climbing onto the top of your house, let an experienced roofer take care of the problem for you.

Roof Repair Los Angeles CA