You want a safe home. You want a warm home. And of course, you want an energy-efficient home. Do you know what can help you achieve all of these goals? Your roof. That's right, if you call up a roofer and tell them about your desires, they can recommend some roofing repairs or materials to help you achieve those desires. They may recommend a metal roof, or they might recommend adding zinc strips to the roof peak. It all depends. One thing we can promise, though, is that learning more about roofing is a good idea. This blog is a good resource, but we recommend looking for other ones, too.
Things To Consider When Deciding When To Get A Roof Replacement
Deciding when to replace your roof can be tricky. You don't want to spend a lot of money unless it's necessary, but you don't want to wait too long and allow a roof leak to cause water damage in your home. You may want to call a roofing service to check your roof and give you an opinion on how soon it should be replaced. Here are some things the roofing service may consider when making their recommendation.
The Upcoming Season
If winter weather or spring storms are on the way, your roofer might be in a bigger hurry to put a new roof on than if summer or fall are just starting. Both winter and spring can be hard on roofing, so putting on a new roof before those seasons arrive might be a good idea.
At the very least, you probably want to have repairs done to prevent roof leaks, but then you have to decide if investing in repairs is a good idea when a roof replacement isn't far away.
The State Of The Granules
The amount of granules on a roof is a clue to how soon the roof needs to be replaced. If most of the granules are gone, the roofer might suggest getting a new roof as soon as possible. If your roof still has plenty of granules and the shingles are also in fairly good shape, your roofer might recommend spot repairs now and plan for a roof replacement in several months.
The Type Of Roof Damage
The type of damage your roof has incurred matters. If your roof has hail damage, the roofer will probably want to replace the entire roof. In fact, your insurance company might want to replace the whole roof rather than pay for repairs. You'll want the work done before time runs out to file an insurance claim.
Also, if the deck of your roof is rotted, your roofer may want to replace the roof as soon as possible. A sagging and rotted roof is a hazard that could cause damage to you or your home if the roof falls through.
Your Available Funds
If you don't have cash for a roof replacement, you might find financing through your roofer or a traditional lender. If you can't get a loan and you don't have the funds, your roofer might discuss alternative options that allow you to postpone getting a new roof until you can get the money together.
Your roofer might recommend covering the roof with a tarp if local codes allow roof tarps for prolonged periods. They might also suggest traditional roof repairs to prevent leaking, and they might even suggest putting a roof coating on that seals the roof so it won't leak and that will buy you some time before you need a roof replacement.