If you've got a small hole in your metal roof, leaks around a skytube or a range of other small issues, you may be able to repair them on your own. However, you need to be extremely careful on your metal roof. Here are some tips to keep you safe:

1. Work on Dry Days

Metal roofs don't have the traction of some other materials. They can be especially slippery on wet or rainy days. To protect yourself, do not try to work on your roof in the rain or until any rain has evaporated.

2. Wear Proper Shoes

Always wear shoes on the roof. This is essential to protect yourself from nails or screws as well as hot metal. Ideally, you should wear trainers with lots of traction or steel-toed work boots for extra protection.

3. Remember the Work Gloves

Dealing with metal often involves coming into contact with sharp edges. To protect yourself, always wear heavy duty work gloves. Don't wear gardening gloves—metal could easily rip through them.  Gloves designed for working with metal have a gauge rating on them. Choose the highest number available.

4. Use a Fall Arrest System

Even if the roof isn't slippery, all kinds of issues could lead to a fall. For instance, imagine you are trying to pull up a bit of old flashing so you can replace it. You pull hard, the adhesive comes undone and you fly backward. That could lead to serious injuries that may impact the rest of your life.

Make sure that you wear a fall harness and that you secure it to something stable on your roof.

5. Take Steps to Avoid Rust

If you are on your metal roof and there is a rusty patch, you risk falling through it. Protecting yourself from this risk starts long before you ever get on the roof. Ideally, you should put in a metal roof that is coated to withstand the effects of the weather.

If you add an additional aftermarket coating, you may want to stay away from acrylic. Acrylic coatings have been known to let water penetrate them. That water eventually leads to rust or decay, which could endanger you whilst you are working on the roof. To protect yourself, consider using a polyethylene sealer instead. That blocks out water, and as a result, your roof should be safer the next time you go up there.

The safest way to deal with metal roof repairs is to have a professional handle them. Contact metal roofing specialists today.