It is an exciting time when you purchase a new home. You may walk into your home excited about all the possibilities. However, before you make any significant changes, you should understand the structure of your home and its condition. One of the areas where you should start is the roof. This guide can help you know what to look for when it comes to your roof.
Get an Inspection Right Away
When you buy a new home, one of the first roofing services to hire is a professional company to inspect your roof. It’s always a good idea to inspect a roof regularly, especially when buying a home. When you contact roofing companies to inspect your roof, they can give you an indication if there are any needed repairs. This gives you the ability to address them quickly.
When you are able to address small concerns sooner, you can prevent them from growing into larger issues. This allows your roof to last longer. When you have an inspection, residential roofing companies can assess your roof for leaks, wear and tear, damage from strong winds, mold growth, and other concerns. A roofing contractor will look at the four main components of your roof. They are the interior, material, quality of work, and structure.
A roofer provides a structural inspection that looks for signs of sagging and uneven roof lines. This also inspects the gutter system. A roofing inspector should look carefully at your chimney to assess for cracks, damage to chimney caps, and crumbling grout.
Roofs Aren’t Immortal
Your roof is not going to last forever. Every roof type, no matter what the material, is going to break down over time and needs a replacement. The type of material dictates how long your roof will last. When you move into a new home, you should consider roof replacement as potential roofing services to hire.
Knowing the estimated age of your roof can help you determine if you need replacement or repair. Local roofers will tell you that although roofs are built to be durable and protect your home, they take a beating regularly. This happens even more if you live in an area that has extreme weather patterns.
Every roof is eventually going to need replacement due to wear and tear. If you have asphalt shingles, you can expect them to last over two decades. Some roofs with materials like clay or metal may last even longer. You can expect that after a number of years, your roof begins to show wear and starts to break down. Some indicators of the signs of an aging roof may include blistered, curled, or missing shingles. You may also see moss and areas that have begun to sag.
Start Getting Roof Maintenance
When you get into your new home, you may be interested in which roofing services to hire. First, you should contact a professional roofer to determine if you need any maintenance. This could prevent you from facing a roofing install just after you move into your home. When you get, regular maintenance of your roof can help extend the life of your roof because it identifies and addresses issues early on. Minor repairs can quickly turn into big problems that are expensive when not addressed quickly.
While it may not immediately seem like it, regular maintenance can save you money. Because you are able to identify issues, you can pay a minimum amount to have them repaired. If left untouched, they may become a full roof replacement which is a significant expense. When your house and roof are well-maintained, that can increase your home’s value and make it more attractive to potential buyers if you decide to sell your home in the future. It also improves your curb appeal. Your house looks better from the road and will have a great first impression when guests come to visit.
Check Your Roof After Storms
If you had a storm in your area, especially if it was significant, you might want to look for roofing services to hire. After heavy and severe storms, you may want to contact roof contractors to inspect the roof. Heavy storms often bring significant rain, ice, hail, tornadoes, and hurricanes. All of these weather elements can damage a roof. Even when you have a new roof, it can be easily torn apart by a hurricane or tornado. In addition, high winds rip, lift, and crack shingles.
During an inspection, a roofing contractor looks for signs of damage to your roof. This includes looking for missing shingles and signs of any leaks. In addition, the inspector may inspect the inside of your home for items like water spots, stains, or streaks. They typically look in the attic and at the walls on the top level of your house. If mold is on the roof or inside the house on the walls, that is also a sign of a leak. All of these areas will be checked during a roof inspection.
Never Put Off Repairs
As a new homeowner, you may have a lot of things you want to do to your home to make it your own. For example, you may look around and want to place decorating above any repairs. However, it is a bad idea to put off repairs to your home, especially when it comes to your roof. You should expect that your roof is most likely going to need some roof repair over the course of its life. Some of the items you can expect your roof may need recoating, painting, cleaning, and re roofing services.
There are signs that may indicate that you need repairs to your roof. These signs include leaks, missing shingles, curling, or breaking shingles. Over time, the shingles on your roof will degrade due to normal wear and tear and age. When you find the right roofing services to hire, you can extend the life of your roof. The roofing material used for your roof ultimately dictates what type of repairs you may need. It is always a good idea to contact a professional to handle these maintenance items.
Check If Your Roof Has a Warranty
Just about all roofing materials, especially shingles, have some type of manufacturer’s warranty. It is not unexpected for them to have a limited lifetime warranty. This tends to be the industry standard, and it means that as long as you own the home, the shingles are covered. The warranty protection provided is different between manufacturers, and you should find out those details from residential roofing companies when making a selection on the material.
When you are looking for roofing services to hire, you want to find roofers that offer a contractor’s craft warranty. This type of warranty is given to you by the roofing contractor because they stand behind the work they do. The way the roof is installed and the materials used make a difference in the longevity of your roof. You want to find a reputable roofer that stands behind the installation and quality of their work.
The longer the warranty period lasts, the better it is for you. A craft warranty covers any failures in the material that are a result of an error or improper installation. These warranties typically cover the cost of labor and any material needed for repair. This warranty should include any damage that occurs to the inside of your home, including any personal property damage. Most of the time, this type of warranty is not going to cover anything like a storm, strong winds, and water damage because that’s not related to the work the contractor provided.
Never DIY Any Roof Work
If there is any work that needs to be done to your roof, you should not attempt to do it yourself unless you are a roofer. Instead, you should look for roofing services to hire. Roof replacement service or repairs is not the area where you should attempt to save money by doing the work yourself. It can be a complex and dangerous task, and if you are inexperienced and have had no training in roofing, you could damage your roof or injure yourself.
Roofing is dangerous because you can easily fall off the roof and injure yourself or cause your own death. Most roofing contractors use safety equipment and harnesses to ensure no one is injured while working. However, if you do not have the proper safety equipment or tools for a roof repair, it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Handling a roof repair yourself may seem like the most affordable and cost-effective option, but you could make a mistake. Unfortunately, mistakes are often costly and cost more than if you had a professional repair your roof initially.
Not All Roofing Materials Are the Same
When you move into your home, you may decide that you don’t like the roof you have. You may be interested in changing the material or the color. This is an ideal time to consider roof replacement services to discuss the options available to you for your roof. Before you look for roofing services to hire, you should understand what materials are available and how they are different. They each have their pros and cons.
There are many roofing options available, including architectural shingles, metal roofs, wood, shaker, clay, and tile. Depending on the type of roof you have and the foundation of your home, some of these roof types may not be the best choice for your home. A professional roofing contractor can discuss all of the options with you, and you can make an informed decision.
The most affordable roofing type is asphalt shingles, but many homeowners are looking for something different. As a result, metal roofs have started becoming incredibly popular. Metal types range from aluminum to steel, copper, and other metal alloys. There is also no limit to the styles and color options with a metal roof.
Keep Your Eyes Out for Leaks
When you begin to notice roof leaks, it’s probably time to consider roofing services to hire. You don’t want to leave a potential leak untouched because it will only worsen. There could be many reasons why you have a leak in your roof. A roofing contractor assesses the roof and looks for missing or broken shingles, warped metal, and cracks. All roofs are subject to regular wear and tear as a result of exposure to the weather and sunlight. Residential roofing inspections can help prevent normal wear and tear from turning into a leak.
Leaks aren’t always easy to track down. Water easily flows into small spaces like light fixtures and areas between insulation. They could be caused by poor insulation, damage to the roof, or ice dams. Leaks and water damage are strong indicators that you need to consider roof replacement.
Don’t Forget About the Gutters
Gutters are an important part of your roof system but are often overlooked. If you notice a problem with your gutters, you should consider roofing services to hire. The intention of a gutter is to ensure that water moves away from the foundation of your house. A properly installed gutter system should not be damaged or leaking. A roofer will inspect your house to determine if you need roof and gutter repairs.
You may not have the right length and size of the gutter that you need. You may need to have the entire gutter system replaced if that’s the case. Typically, gutters are installed along the eaves of the roof and are attached to the fascia with brackets. Gutters are installed on a slope to allow water to flow to the downspouts. Downspouts are installed on the house’s exterior and attached securely to withstand heavy rain and strong winds.
Being a new homeowner is an exciting time. However, it’s also a time when you should pay the most attention to your house. You don’t want to overlook an area, especially your roof, that may be in need of repair.