As a homeowner, you have the vital job of caring for your home and property to preserve and protect it. Everything from lawn care to household cleaning and maintenance must be given attention to ensure that your home stays in tip-top shape.
One aspect of your home that is generally forgotten about is your roof. When a problem appears, it needs to be dealt with swiftly and efficiently to minimize damage and additional cost.
Regular care and maintenance are essential.
Your roof is actually one of the more essential and important parts of your home; it protects you and your precious family from the elements, strengthens the integrity of your whole structure, and protects your belongings as well. Regular care and maintenance will be essential, as will be planning to repair and replace your roof when it does get too old to continue serving its purpose. How do you know when the life cycle of a roof has officially run its course? Read on to see more about the life cycle of your roof, and when it will be time to plan for new installation.
The Life Cycle Of Your Roof
Just like any aspect of your home, the life of your roof will eventually run its course. The extreme conditions that a roof is subjected to everyday, will cause materials to wear out, crack, and loosen to the point where it is no longer protecting the interior of your home. While there is no magic formula for fortifying your roof indefinitely, taking the time to maintain and regularly repair minor issues will extend your roof’s effectiveness.
What to look for….and what to expect
Just what might you expect to see as you observe and maintain your roof? Knowing what issues to look for will be a crucial piece of being able to care for and repair it properly. Here’s what you will find as you inspect your aging roof:
Asphalt roofs--An asphalt roof will harden after installation; you can see evidence of this as the shingles begin to curl. As hardening advances, the shingles will start to shrink, and eventually, separation will occur. As this becomes an issue, your roof could develop leaks that could threaten the interior structures of your home. Be proactive about checking asphalt shingles, as they tend to wear out more quickly than other types of roofing materials.
Clay or tile roofs--Clay and tile roofs are incredibly durable, and they take a beating from the elements quite well. Over time, the weathering of a tile roof can result in thinning sections, chips, and cracks that allow exposure of the underlayment. Do regular inspections on your roof and tiles to ensure that no underlayment sections are exposed, and everything is in good condition.
Metal roofs--With metal being one of the most durable roofing options, your primary concern with aging would be with fasteners and sealants used to hold panels in place. Over time, this hardware can succumb to excess wear and tear; special attention will need to be paid to these elements of your roof to ensure its longevity.
Assessing your roof and determining age
There are many different ways to determine the age of your roof. Knowing how old your structure is will help you determine whether repair or replacement will be necessary. Take these steps to find out more information about your roof:
Ask previous owners, if possible. If they occupied your house for many years before you purchased, they would likely know if and when the current roof was installed. Keep previous homeowner contact information handy in case questions like these arise.
Find the building permit. You can do a bit of research with the county you reside in to determine when a building permit was acquired for new construction on your roof. This is likely to contain the exact date of your roof installation.
Get an inspection. The smartest plan of action is to hire the trained eye of a licensed roofing contractor to assess your roof and determine its condition. They will tell you whether it would be best to service and repair your roof or if replacement of your current roof is necessary.
Give us a call!
Len’s Roofing is a licensed, bonded, and insured roofing contractor with over twenty-five years of superior roof installation and service. Regardless of your situation, we can provide you expert advice and service on all types of roofs. With a passion for customer satisfaction and top-notch professional installation and repair practices, we will work to design and install a high-quality roof that is both beautiful and functional. Connect with us today for an estimate; we look forward to working with you! Call us at 941-896-7897 or visit https://www.lensroofing.com/ for more information.