The Roofer's Guide: Should You Buy Extra Roofing Material For Repairs?
Hey there hardy DIY’ers! It's your weathered and wise guide to all things roof-related, Roofin’ Ron, here to shed some light on a question that’s been hounding homeowners for decades: "Should I buy extra roofing material for repairs?" Sit tight, fasten your tool belts, and let's dive headfirst into this shingled situation together.
To Stash or not to Stash- What’s the Theory?
Picture this: you've just completed a glorious, sweat-drenched weekend of DIY roof repair. You're sitting back, admiring your handiwork, when a nagging question hits you: "What do I do with all these leftover shingles?" Or maybe you’re asking: "Should I got those extra bundles in the first place?"
The point of contention here is whether it’s practical, economical, and prudent to have additional roofing material on standby for future repairs or whether it would be a vain exercise of over-preparing. To crack this roof riddle, let's turn our attention to three key considerations: matching, degradation over time, and the cost-benefit analysis.
Matching Madness: The Fight for Aesthetic Integrity
There's nothing worse than a patchwork quilt-looking roof to ruin the curbside appeal of your lovely home. If you've ever tried to match shingles after a minor repair in the past, you know how infuriatingly impossible it can be. That's why keeping extra material from your initial roofing install can be a game-changer.
Your roof is continuously exposed to the elements, which lead to inevitable fading and slight color alterations over time. So, meshing new tiles with old is a challenge akin to threading a needle in the dark. Stashing those extra shingles can save you from the scourge of mismatched roof tiles. However, there's a twist we need to address.
Time-tested Trouble: Degradation of Stored Material
Degradation is an inescapable reality for all materials, especially roofing ones. Environmental changes, humidity, and careless storage conditions can turn your perfect-match-shingles into a batch of degraded, dysfunctional junk. If you decide to stock up on roofing material, excellent storage practice is crucial. Think cool, dry, and off the ground –a home repair magician never reveals his stash lightly!
Playing It Smart: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
Roofing material isn’t cheap, and neither is the storage space it usurps. While having extra may offer peace of mind and ease of access during repairs, you also have to weigh in the sustainability of the costs. If your roof type is common and readily available, ditching the idea of stashing spares might work fine for you.
However, homeowners with rare, high-end, or discontinued roofing material, hold onto that precious extra stash like a squirrel hoarding nuts for winter. The hassle you'll save in hunting down the right replacements in the future would be priceless.
Determining Your Stash Status
Let's boil it down to a list of questions you can ask yourself to determine if you should hoard that roofing excess:
- Is my roofing material common or rare?
- Can I afford to lose the storage space?
- Am I equipped to store it correctly to avoid degradation?
- Do I dread the thought of mismatched roof tiles?
If you answered 'yes' more than 'no,' then jump aboard the stash-train. If not, feel free to use your garage for your band practice instead.
Roofin' Ron's Last Word
So dear DIY compatriots, slice right through the conundrum –to stash, or not to stash? There's no hard and fast rule. It depends on your roofing material, storage conditions, aesthetics, and financial considerations. Remember, preparation may be priceless, but it shouldn’t outweigh practicality.
With your willingness to get your hands dirty and a sprinkle of Roofin' Ron’s wisdom, we can make the right choice and achieve that well-maintained, disaster-ready, and visually pleasing roof. Till our next roofing rendezvous, happy DIY-ing, friends!