Spring is here and that means lots of heavy rain. Now is the time to inspect your roof for any signs of damage or wear from the summer months that could lead to le or damp areas in the months ahead.
How do You Know When Your Roof Needs Replacing?
When a bad storm causes substantial damage to the home’s roof, replacement may be the only answer. If the roof is over 20 years old, it may be approaching the roof failure time and need to be replaced. But, there are other causes for roof failure. The homeowner can climb up on the roof and check for large damaged areas, a substantial reduction in the grit that new shingles come with, curled or cracked roof shingles, or missing or cracked sealing materials around chimneys and other openings on the roof. *This post contains affiliate and/or sponsored links.
It is better to call a roofing company such as Wildwood Roofing & Construction to inspect the roof and give the homeowner a bid for repair or replacement. Some roofs can be repaired to last a few years longer depending on the type and amount of damage and wear. The basic components of a roof include the home structure, the roof decking, the roofing underlayment, The roof flashing, and the roof covering. Damage can occur in any one of these elements.
7 Steps To Look for in Roof Replacement
Once you have decided to replace a worn-out or damaged roof and chosen a roofing contractor, keep an eye on the roofing installation to make sure 7 important steps are followed. The steps include:
- Properly schedule the roofing job to take place when good weather is predicted. Make sure the roofing contractor has the proper equipment, safety gear, materials, and waste removal plan in place.
- Take off all the old roofing.
- Repair the roof deck where needed. They should look for cracks, rot, and holes in the decking.
- Install a high-quality underlayment.
- Install the proper drip edge at the lower edges of the roof.
- Install the roof covering and all the flashing, ridge vents and ridge caps.
- Clean up and haul away all the debris generated by the roofing job.
The final step should be the inspection of the roof job by the homeowner with the roofer. This is the time to notice mistakes and missing roof edge sealant and so on.
Only Use Licensed, Dependable roofing Companies For Best Results
The roof on a home is an important 1st line of defense against the weather and water damage. Don’t skimp on the roof material or the contractor but don’t overpay either. Find several good roofing companies with references, licensing, and insurance, then have each of them give you a detailed bid. Choose the one with the best materials at the most reasonable price. It is not always the cheapest bid. Some roofers give a cheap bid but give you less service and lower-quality materials.
Try to get references and completed jobs you can look at. Always ask for a detailed contract to sign. Watch the job being done to make sure it is done correctly at every step. Paying attention will result in a better roof.
Don’t wait until the roof on a home starts leaking. By this time a lot of water damage has been done to the roof decking and the attic and possible the walls in a home. Have older roofs inspected regularly for damage replace the roof before there is a roof failure and water damage to the home. Use a good, licensed roofing contractor rather than a fly-by-night bargain roofer who will use substandard materials and cut corners on installation.
I hope you have found this roof repair tips to be useful. Thanks for visiting today!
Amber
1 Comment
Thank you so much for pointing out that roofing work should be scheduled for when there is good weather, and the roofer should do a final inspection with you to see if there are any issues after the project is done. About a week ago, I was sitting on my patio enjoying the smell of the rain, when the roof started leaking and dripping on my head! I want to make sure this is fixed before it causes permanent damage. I will have to look into re-roofing services that could help me.
May 19, 2020 at 2:55 pm