Whether you buy a home or have lived in one since it was built, chances are you will need to replace the roof at some point. Most roofs last twenty to thirty years, but natural disasters and other mishaps can shorten your roofs lifespan by a significant amount. One of the best roofing tips to get the job done right and save yourself time and money, it is best to hire a professional from the beginning. Re-roofing can be done by yourself, but the cost of wasted materials and time spent trying to get it done right ends up very costly.

Doing an inspection of your roof twice per year will help you find cracked, warped or missing shingles. These inspections also reveal separated seams, damaged flashing and gutter blockages, which over time cause damage to your roof. Inside your home look for cracked paint discolored ceiling areas or peeling wallpaper, especially near the ceiling as signs of potential roof damage. By identifying issues with your roofing systems you can often repair for sometime before needing to replace your roof.

Leaks are caused most commonly by faulty flashing around chimney skylights and vents; typically, a roof does not need to be replaced due to these leaks. If your roof is over a decade old, you may need to replace the roof especially if it appears worn or rotten in large areas. Snow and ice also cause problems as well as condensation and high winds. New roofing systems are often needed to correct these issues. The new system will include specialized underlayment, vents or specially treated shingles.

Choosing a contractor is the most important choice you make in re-roofing your home. There are many considerations you need to make, price is usually the deciding factor, however workmanship, insurance, and accountability are also very important factors in choosing the right contractor.

When talking with various contractors to get estimates be sure that they remove the hold roofing materials down to the underlying wood sheathing, which is the plywood or plants attached to the rafters of your house/attic. It was common practice to place new layers of shingles over the old ones in order to lengthen the life span of a roof; you want to be sure that your contractor will take off all of the single layers. This practice fell out of use due to the longer lifespan of fiberglass-based shingles. By going down to the sheathing, the roofer can install the proper ventilation, flashing and waterproofing systems for you new roof, as well as making the needed repairs to any rotten or damaged wood. In addition, nailing or screwing the sheathing down can help prevent damages from high winds in areas that face this issue.

Why not just a roof? A roof is made of many parts, each one needs to work well with the others, and this makes it a system. Be sure you can compare the roofing materials used in the system to make the best price for both quality and affordability. Each component has varying strengths, be sure if you choose budge shingles that the underlayment is higher quality than you would normally select to make up for the lacking quality of shingle. Your contractor can suggest the best combination for your budget and home.

The underlayment, flashing, ventilation, drip edge, and gutters if you replace them, are all considered minor details by many people, however they can me the difference between a water tight home and an indoor swimming pool, in your living room.

The outer most layer of your roofing material offers many options and often gains the most consideration because it is visible. Fiberglass reinforced shingles are the most popular because of price and durability, as well as thousands of styles and colors available. Fiberglass laminated shingles, commonly called architectural singles are also affordable, and popular when compared to traditional high-end roofing means, such as metal, tile and slate. Artificial slate roofs are also typically made of architectural shingles.

This depends on many factors, if everything is perfect it can be done in less than three days, for the typical residential home. Rarely do things go perfectly. The weather can affect the roofing process, as can the number of workers employed by your contractor. An unexpected complication is one of the most common delays of a re-roofing project. Additional damage that was unforeseen as well as a shortage of materials can cause delays, sometimes ranging into the weeks.

Choosing a competent contractor will make your re-roofing process go quickly and smoothly. Replacing your roof does not need to be a lengthy and complicated process, you should be able to make a few basic choice, usually about the contractor and materials used, then sit back and watch the work be done quickly and effectively the first time. Sitting in your nice dry home during a thunderstorm can be peaceful, especially when you know the water will stay outside of your home.

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February 8, 2014 at 8:37 am by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Roofing replacement