If the roof on your house has gotten old and worn out, you may believe that it is time to replace it. Because you wish to save money or enjoy doing home improvement projects yourself, you may decide that you want to do the installation work yourself. However, before you start laying shingles, consider the reasons it is not a good idea to attempt installing your home's roof yourself.

1.  You May Not Recognize Problems Areas That Need Addressing

One reason you should not try to install your own roof is that you may miss something during the installation. If you have never replaced a roof and do not have any experience with this type of work, then you may not be able to recognize current or potential problems that need addressing.

For example, if you are not planning on replacing the plywood decking, you may not thoroughly inspect it. While the surface of the decking may seem sound and intact, there may be subtle signs that it is starting to deteriorate. Or, the underside may have already started to rot.

If you do not know what these signs are, you may go ahead and start attaching shingles to the plywood. However, the nails may cause further damage, and the decking may start to leak a few months down the road.

2.  You Have No Warranty If Your Roof Installation Efforts Fail

Another reason you should leave roof installation to a professional is that you should always have some type of guarantee on the structure in case something goes wrong. When a roofer does the job, you will have a warranty for an agreed-upon amount of time and they will fix any issues if they come up.

However, if you do the job yourself, you will have no warranty to fall back on. Not only would you have to pay for redoing the work, but since you did it yourself, your homeowner's insurance may not cover the costs. You may need paperwork showing that a certified roofer completed the installation for your insurance to cover the cost. 

Even if you feel confident that you know how to install a roof, doing the job yourself could lead to problems down the road if any issues arise. Instead of trying to do the work yourself, contact a local roof installation service to have them inspect your roof and discuss your roofing options.