Sunny Weather Leads to a Much Needed Check of your Roof!

When the sun is high in the sky and you have a clear view of your roof then it is the best time to take stock in how it is handling the weather being thrown at it. Heavy downpours, wind and hail can do a number on your shingles and gutters so now is a good time to get up there and really take a good look at its condition both inside your house and outside. Knowing that your roof does have a lifespan and expiration date can also help you plan for the worst but hope for the best. 

 

Inside your house you will of course need access to your attic or upper crawl space. When you head up there you should bring a broom or yard stick to use to give a good measurement of any wet spots that you may see and to test the areas that are sagging. Write down or record any stains or spots that you discover so that you can keep a log and add to it if any more appear. While you are up there you can also investigate for any spots where you see sunlight coming through. This of course is an indication that these areas are prone to leaking. The presence of any or all of these issues can of course lead to the question of whether you need to repair or even replace your whole roof. 

 

Going outside to check on the condition of your roof can be a tricky one. If you are not comfortable getting on a ladder and heading up there yourself then it is time to enlist the help of a professional. They can safely head up there and give you a full report on the state of your shingles, any places where the seals around exhaust fans have failed and anything else of concern. During the year it is wise to keep your gutters clear and free of debris so that water doesn’t pool in areas which can lead to failures in the roof structure. 

 

Once you have expected the roof from both sides you will now have to make the decision on whether or not you have only a small amount of repairs to make or if a total replacement is necessary. By making small repairs throughout the years you may be able to avoid a costly replacement but if you have had a harsh weather season then the writing may be on the wall and a total replacement is the only answer.

 

The weather plays a crucial role when deciding if a replacement is in your future. In a perfect world you wouldn’t have to worry about harsh weather but in reality it is becoming more commonplace so you need your roof to be in tip top shape to handle whatever is thrown at it. If a roof has minor repairs needed then you can hold off but a combined amount of damages that occur in close to half of the area of the roof then you have to heavily consider replacement.

 

No big surprise to anyone but replacing a roof is expensive every way you look at it. Depending on size and materials you can be looking at a cost on the lower end of $5,000 to upwards $15,000 for a higher end roof. No one wants to spend this much on a roof but considering the damage that can be sustained if the roof was hit with extreme weather and it fails in a catastrophic way then you could be looking at more than just structural damage but also to personal property.

 

Owning a home is a great responsibility and it can be a harrowing experience at times but you need to be diligent with maintenance and upkeep and hopefully this will keep the big surprise home repairs to a minimum. If you are interested in becoming a homeowner or even listing your home please feel free to contact one of our Agents for more information.