Explain How To Know You Need A New Roof
One very important question that all homeowners should be asking themselves if they have an aged roof, is “how do I know if I need a new roof?
With your home, most likely being your largest investment, periodic maintenance is essential to upholding the value. Essentially, your roof is the umbrella of your home, it protects everything inside by keeping it safely covered. Without a roof, your home would just consist of four walls and a foundation pad; it would be incomplete. Furthermore, as essential as roofing is to a home, it wears out over time.
It is critical that you, as a homeowner, are aware of the state of your roof. You should know if it needs roofing repairs and/or replacement. Scheduling free annual roof inspections should be on your calendar.
We are often contacted when individuals are looking to sell their homes. Selling time is and should not be, the first time most homeowners start looking at their roof’s life a little closer.
When selling a home in Houston, the one thing that becomes a bone of contention more than any other when negotiating home inspections, are worn roof issues.
From a homeowner’s perspective, if there are a few years left in the life of a roof, then they typically do not want to do anything. On the other hand, buyers are leery about purchasing a home and then having to invest even more into a new roof shortly after.
The quickest way to know the condition of your roof, before putting your home on the market, is to schedule a free roofing inspection with a qualified Roofing Contractor in Houston.
According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, homeowners should inspect their roofs bi-annually, with the best times being the spring and the fall seasons. Again, it is recommended to mark these times on your calendar.
Depending on your roofing style, non-architectural shingles are rated to last between 15-25 years, while architectural shingles may last between 30 and 50 years.
Tips for inspecting your own roof.
Interior Roofing Check
For starters, the attic is a great place for determining if your home needs a new roof. The internal roof check is fairly simple, but may be a little hot during the summertime. The most important steps are making sure you have access to your attic and bringing a high-quality flashlight.
Once you are in your attic, look around for any obvious signs of roof damage. Some very easily determinable signs are:
- Light shining in from outside –This is usually the easiest problem to identify. With your lights turned off in your attic, do you see any lights shining through from the outside? If light is coming through, then your house is susceptible to moisture invasion.
- Sagging Areas –Look around and see if any part of your roof is sagging, or hanging lower than you think it should. A sagging roof is a critical indication of structural damage. The most evident cause is generally roof rot from moisture.
- Dark Spots or Runs –If you notice any dark spots or dark runs, this is a key indicator of moisture penetration and possible early to late stages of roof rot.
- Water Damage or Leaks –Of course the most identifiable problem to detect is visible water damage to either your roof, insulation, drywall, etc. One small leak can cause very devastating damages that can be very costly to repair. This is why it is so important to periodically inspect your attic.
Exterior Roof Check
After completing the interior check for your roof, the next step is to take a trip outside and on top of your roof. Getting on your roof is a very good way to estimate the actual condition of your roof up close and personal.
When getting onto a roof, it is always important to keep safety first. Something as small as an 8-foot drop can cause serious bodily injuries; therefore, if you choose to inspect the roof yourself please follow all safety procedures from OSHA. For this reason, we only recommend that you contact a professional roof inspection company, such as Elite Roofing Solutions, for your exterior roof inspections.
Some common signs that portray a new roof is required from the exterior are:
- Look for Visible Damage – Most major damages to roofing materials and structures are fairly obvious. Shingle roofs may have cracked, warped, missing shingles or broken shingles. The older your roof is the easier it is usually to determine if a new one is required.
- Moisture Issues – The presence of moisture can turn a small, inexpensive roof repair, into a very costly repair. Moisture can cause erosion and mold issues within your home.
- Shingle Granules – Shingle Granule loss is a big indicator that your roof is nearing the end of its life. If you are spotting granules in your driveway, or even at the bottom of your downspouts, then you may want to have your roof inspected professionally as soon as possible.
- Visible wear and tear – Sealants and other calking materials can wear and tear over time. These are very important areas to inspect, due to the vulnerability they may have to let moisture enter your home.
- Drainage Inspection – Proper roof drainage is essential for any home. If your roof is holding water in any areas, rather it is the roof itself or the gutters, than your home is very susceptible to rot and/or mold, among other serious issues.
Each one of these matters is a serious indicator that you need your roof at minimum repaired, and most likely replaced.
What If Roof Problems Are Found?
Finding problems with your roof does not always mean that it needs to be replaced, many times you can get by with just minor repairs. Furthermore, if during a roof inspection for small repairs, the technician notices some more serious conditions, caused by storm damage, we will certainly work with you in getting your homeowner’s insurance to cover the cost of a full roof replacement.
When homeowners wait too long for roof inspections, they take the risk of letting the damages increase in size and cost. If the damages to your roof are not covered by your insurance company, it does not mean that they do not need to be addressed. It then becomes a homeowner’s responsibility to invest in their biggest investment. Luckily, getting a roof replacement is only something that may need to be done every 20-30 years. It doesn’t hurt for homeowners to start a savings account for home repairs. That way when a situation occurs where the repair is expensive, homeowners can be more prepared.
Repairing or replacing a roof, not only makes a home safer and more livable, it also increases the value of your home. It truly is investing in your biggest investment. People are proven to purchase homes, knowing that they will not have to come out of pocket immediately to make major repairs. Without a doubt, a new roof is very appealing to buyers and not only to save them money; in addition, it increases the curb appeal as well.
If you do the roof inspection yourself and notice an issue with your roof, your next step is to contact professional Roofing Contractors. At Elite Roofing Solutions, we provide free roof damage inspections and free estimates for repairs and replacements. We offer many references for our services, so if you are leery about hiring an experienced roofing contractor, you can see what our previous clients have to say about us. You can find our google reviews at Houston Roofing Contractors - Elite Roofing Solutions.
