Can you fix your own roof, or should you hire a roofer?

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Should you do your own roofing?

For most work, no. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the trade's association, says plainly that most work should not be done yourself. It gives two reasons: improper technique can damage the roof, and you can be severely injured falling off it or through it. That is the trade body's view of its own work, but the government's injury figures point the same way.

How dangerous is roof work?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says falls are the leading cause of death in construction. In 2024, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics count it cites, 389 of the 1,034 construction deaths were falls to a lower level. OSHA says anyone six feet or more above a lower level is at risk of serious injury or death in a fall, and it requires employers to provide fall protection, such as a harness tied to an anchor on a roofing job, and to train workers to use it.

Those rules bind employers, not homeowners on their own houses. But they describe what a professional crew is expected to bring to a roof: a plan for holes, skylights and roof edges, the right ladder, and a harness for each person who has to tie off.

Winter adds to the risk. The University of Minnesota Extension warns that anyone on a roof in winter, or working on it from below, risks injury and may damage the roof and house, and says to contact professionals.

What can a homeowner safely do?

Quite a lot that matters, none of it on the roof.

• Look from the ground or a ladder. NRCA suggests inspecting in fall and spring for cracked or curling shingles. If you use a ladder, it says to brace or tie it off, use rubber safety feet, wear rubber-soled shoes and stay on the ladder rather than stepping onto the roof.
• Check the attic. ENERGY STAR lists wet or damp insulation, which it says indicates a leaky roof, and moldy or rotted rafters among the conditions that need a professional. Spotting them early is something you can do with a flashlight.
• Keep soffit vents clear. ENERGY STAR says the most common mistake when adding attic insulation is blocking the airflow at the eaves, and that soffit vents should never be covered with insulation.
• Keep gutters clear. NRCA counts cleaning out gutters full of leaves as part of the limited maintenance a homeowner can do.
• Document problems. Photographs, dates and notes make any later repair or insurance claim easier.

What about an emergency leak?

Record it, then leave the roof itself to someone equipped for it. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says that after a storm you should make immediate repairs needed to prevent further damage, but only after documenting the damage, and should not make permanent repairs until your insurer approves them. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), a research organization, gives tarping exposed areas as an example of such a temporary repair. On a pitched or wet roof, that is still roof work, with the fall risk described above.

The extension's advice on ice dams follows the same line. It says a roof rake or push broom can clear snow but may damage roofing, and that cutting channels through a dam with tap water on a warm day is only an emergency measure that stops working within days. NRCA goes further: it does not recommend hosing a roof, using picks, shovels or anything with a sharp edge, or using a hot air gun, and it says to call a professional if the roof is steep, the snow deep or the ice thick.

Which jobs carry hidden hazards?

Two that a homeowner may not think of.

• Asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency lists roofing shingles among materials that may contain asbestos. It says taking samples yourself is not recommended, that sanding, sawing, scraping or drilling suspect material can release fibers, and that removal must be done only by trained and accredited professionals, because improper removal can increase exposure.
• Lead paint. The EPA's lead renovation rule generally does not apply to owners working on their own pre-1978 homes, but it does apply if you rent out all or part of the house. Either way the agency recommends hiring a contractor certified in lead-safe work and, if you do the work yourself, using its lead-safe practices.

Can you get the permit and do the work yourself?

In some places an owner can. Philadelphia, for example, allows an owner who lives in an existing one- or two-family house to do EZ permit work, which includes roof covering replacement. Other municipalities set their own rules, so ask your code office.

If you hire someone, be wary of the reverse arrangement. The Federal Trade Commission lists a contractor who asks you to get the permits among the signs of a home improvement scam.

So when should you call a roofer?

For anything that involves walking on, opening up or replacing the roof surface: missing or damaged shingles, flashing, leaks, sagging, and any storm damage. The warning signs guide covers what to look for first, and how to choose a roofer covers who to hire. Roofers serving the area are on the roofers directory page.

Sources

1. Resources (frequently asked questions), National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)
2. OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
3. Dealing with and preventing ice dams, University of Minnesota Extension
4. Attic Air Sealing Project, ENERGY STAR
5. About Attic Ventilation, ENERGY STAR
6. Natural Disaster Insurance Guide, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
7. Is It Hail Damage?, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
8. Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
9. Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
10. Get permits without plans (EZ permits), City of Philadelphia
11. How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission