Frequently Asked Questions about re-roofing your house.
How can a home owner recognize when their roof has problems?
Typically, roof problems are discovered after leaking or other serious damage occurs. Periodic inspections often can uncover cracked, warped, or missing shingles and tiles, loose seams, deteriorated flashings, excessive surface granules accumulating in the gutters or downspouts, and other visible signs of roof system problems. Indoors look for cracked paint, discolored plasterboard, and peeling wallpaper as signs of damaged roof areas.
What are my options if I decide to re-roof?
You have two basic options. You can choose a complete replacement of the roof system, involving a tear-off of your existing roof system, or re-cover the existing roof system, involving only the installation of a new roof system. If you have already had one re-cover installed on your original roof system, roof sheathing replacement may be necessary. In most instances building code requirements allow no more than one roof system re-cover before a complete replacement is necessary. For more information on re-roofing your home.
My roof leaks, do I need to have it replaced completely?
Not necessarily. Leaks can result from flashings that have come loose or a section of the roof system being damaged. A complete roof system failure however, generally is irreversible and a result of improper installation, choice of materials, or the roof system installation is inappropriate for the home or building.
Can I do the work myself?
Most of the work should not be done yourself. As professional roofing contractors we are trained to safely and efficiently repair or replace roof systems. You can damage your roof by using improper roofing techniques and severely injure yourself by falling off of or through your roof.
Maintenance performed by home and building owners should be confined to inspecting roof systems during the fall and spring to check for cracked or curling shingles and cleaning gutters filled with dead leaves and other debris. If you inspect your roof yourself, use a firmly braced or tied off ladder equipped with rubber safety feet. Wear rubber soled shoes and stay on the ladder, (and off the roof system), if possible.
How long can I expect my roof system to last?
Most new roof systems are designed to provide useful services ranging from 10, 15, and even 20 years. Some roof system types such as slate, clay & concrete tile and certain metal (e.g. copper) systems can last longer.
Actual roof system life span is determined by a number of factors, including local climactic and environmental conditions, proper building and roof system design, material quality and suitability, proper application and adequate roof maintenance.
Roofing product manufacturers offer a variety of warranties on their products. Take a close look at those warranties to see what responsibilities and financial obligations manufacturers will assume if their products fail to reach their expected lives.
How do I protect my home against ice dams?
Ice dams are formed when heat from the inside of a home escapes into the attic and warms the roof decking during the winter. This heat, combined with heat from the sun, can melt snow on the roof. Melting snow then runs down toward the eaves as water. When it reaches the cold eaves and gutters it refreezes. This continual thaw and re-freeze process creates ice dams. The result is water backing up under the roof shingles where it can soak through the roof decking or wall sheathing, causing damage to attics, ceilings and walls.
There are three ways to defend against the damage ice dams cause: attic insulation, attic ventilation system, and water-proofing shingle underlayment. All three work together.
To learn more on how to Protect Your Home Against Ice Dams, click on the brochure link under Helpful Resources.
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How do I know if it is time to replace my roof?
Research indicates that the aging process for a roof begins soon after the shingles are installed and progresses rapidly during the initial curing phase of its life cycle. During this stage, granule loss may occur, small blisters may develop, or the shingles may curl slightly at their edges. You may even notice that this curling is more pronounced during cold weather and the shingles may life flat as temperatures rise. The good news, however, is that after this curing stage the shingles enter a long period of slow aging, which lasts for the major portion of the shingle's natural life. For more information on roofing shingles. |
