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Are you looking for ways to reduce costs of your home’s exteriors? Here are 5 projects you can DIY rather than hiring a professional to save a little money.

1. Cleaning your roof: It’s always dangerous to walk around on your roof, but if you feel comfortable, cleaning asphalt shingles yourself is a good idea. Cleaning the roof removes the algae and mold that grows and causes streaks, particularly in the humid Minnesota environment. The most effective method of cleaning algae and moss from a roof is with a 50:50 mix of laundry strength liquid chlorine bleach and water. Apply with a sprayer and allow the solution to dwell on the roof surface for 15 to 20 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly with low-pressure water.

2. Cleaning your gutters: If you have a single-story home, cleaning your gutters is a good way to ensure water isn’t backing up into your house, or destroying the foundation. Again, this depends on your comfort level with heights. Make sure you have a sturdy ladder and someone to help, then remove leaves and organic debris from the gutters before flushing with water. 

3. Caulking: You may be able to save a little on the labor of your siding project if you caulk the siding in the corners of houses and where trim joints meet each other around a window. Always follow manufacturer instructions, so as not to void the warranty.

4. Painting: For small painting projects such as window trim, a homeowner can easily tackle this project. For larger jobs, it’s more efficient, better-looking and less hassle to have a professional take care of the project.

5. Some Roofing Repairs: Some small roofing repairs are easy for homeowners. If you have a cedar shake roof, for instance, you can easily replace individually damaged shingles. For asphalt shingles, if you have leftover roofing materials, you can remove the nails from the damaged section, slide the new section underneath the shingles higher above it, then nail as closely to the top shingle line as possible.

Don’t try DIY roofing or siding projects unless you have some experience or knowledge in how to make these repairs. In most instances, hiring a contractor will be faster, more cost-effective and certainly less stressful than doing it yourself.