Roof maintenance and repair are two things that everyone that owns a home needs to learn about. The trouble with this is that not everyone understands the fundamentals and best practices involved in keeping a roof in great shape. You can make sure you are properly taking care of your roof.
Before you hire a roofing contractor ask for references. Once you have the references you should speak with the homeowners and see how well the job was done. Also, take some time to drive by the addresses. Drive around and look at the work before determining who you will hire.
While damaged shingles are sometimes the cause of leaks, be sure you look at your roof’s foundation too. Water can enter into your home anywhere that dry rot has occurred. You should examine all potential entry points to make sure there is no problem.
Before you hire a contractor for your roofing needs, make sure you do your homework. It is not a good idea to go with someone simply because they are inexpensive or readily available. Rather, investigate a few roofers in your local area. Look online, ask friends for recommendations, or use a professional service to find trustworthy workers for your project.
Never neglect safety when working on your roof. You can be seriously injured by attempting to fix a leak during a storm. Put a bucket where it’s leaking and then look at the roof to determine whether or not you can fix the issue.
After you’ve narrowed down your list of contractors, talk to them about what kind of warranties they have available. You’re looking for a warranty which lasts between three to five years. The longer it is, the better. You’ll want a warranty that’ll cover things such as issues with the materials or workmanship. You’ll also want a copy of the manufacturer’s warranties.
When fixing a leak, it is imperative that you get the job done on the first go. This often means searching for other leaks after the first place you locate that has problems. Check over the whole roof for problems; you can see if there are more problems that you’re going to have a number of issues.
Talk to your roofer about what kind of warranty they offer on their work. You’ll find that some contractors offer much better warranties than others. Make sure you get any warranty in writing (and the estimate too). You’ll need that if the time arises where there is an issue. That way, there cannot be any disagreement about the terms later on.
Wear rubber boots when you need to get on top of your roof.
If you want a “greener” roofing option, you may want to consider installing a living roof. A living roof actually contains layers of soil that can be used to plant a garden or to grow vegetables. This can also give you a reasonable amount of insulation.
Make sure the roofer you hire has experience. Ask your friends and family for any referrals they have hired someone in the past.This is important because you don’t want to avoid poor roofing work that could be expensive later on.
Ask prospective roofing contractors how long their company has been in business. Those who have been around in your area for a long time obviously know how to keep their customers happy. If the contractor is new, it can be very difficult to gauge their legitimacy. It could be someone out to scam you.
When you have come up with a short list of possible contractors, find out what kind of warranties are available. You want to be offered 3-5 years. The warranty should deal with poor work and defective materials, and they should also supply you with copies of the manufacturer warranties too.
Always keep the little things in mind when hiring a contractor. You can measure a firm’s reliability by whether or not they are prompt for appointments and easily accessible by phone. They should also give you a bid that’s typed as this is professional. You want your chosen roofer to possess both of these important qualities.
Don’t get frustrated if you can’t locate where a leak is originating from. You will find the source eventually if you use a water hose, and the use of a water hose and a buddy system can help. If you have a large house, talk on cell phones in order to prevent unnecessary deluges of water during testing.
With regards to roof maintenance, most homeowners often neglect replacing roof boots. These are rubber components that sit near the roof fence, and they have the potential to get too dry. When they dry out, leaks are likely. Therefore, it’s important to regularly inspect them and if needed, replace them.
Think about selecting architectural shingles on your new roof. They’re more attractive and last a long time.
Determine if your potential roofer can perform annual maintenance on your roof. Problems happen, even with the best contractor. Annual visits stave off larger problems.
Make sure all your questions when hiring a contractor. The worst thing you can do is keep a question and then it becomes a problem later on. If you can’t get clear answers from a contractor, then you shouldn’t be doing business with them.
When you’re thinking about hiring someone to work on your roof, you need to be sure that you look to the BBB first. Doing so, you’ll be able to see any previous complaints against the contractors you’re considering. The Chamber of Commerce is another useful resource.
Don’t allow individuals that doesn’t have a professional attitude do any work on the roof of your home. You need the whole process to remain professional so that you can be sure their work will be too.
If you are seeking a good roofer, ask people you know if they have any recommendations. Good or bad, word always gets around. If you’ve ever hired residential contractor to do other projects, they may be able to provide good recommendations, too. If nothing else, they should be able to point you in the right direction.
Not all contractors are the same, so choose one with care. Do not pick one because of their advertisement. Word of mouth can be the best kind of advertisement. Check reviews online or seek out the advice of friends. Check to see how reputable a company is with different local business groups for the contractor’s reputation. Hiring a poor contractor could cost you tons of money.
Get the paperwork in order before hiring a contractor. They may need permits or bonds before starting. Call the building department in your area to verify everything that your contractor needs in order to get started.
Ensure that your chosen roofer has the necessary paperwork before starting work. Your contractor might need permits or bonds before starting to work.
When working on your own roof, make certain to have help. You don’t know if an accident will happen, so you should have a friend that can help you, or get help if something bad happens when you’re both working.
Make sure to consider your area’s climate when choosing roofing materials. In drought-prone, dry regions, wood shingles are not appropriate. Synthetic materials are not last very long in hot locales. Metal roofs aren’t ideal for colder conditions.Talk to a professional contractor to ensure you’re making a good choice.
Don’t let unscrupulous storm-chasing contractors dupe you. Such shady enterprises tend to rove around neighborhoods after a large storm has hit. Most are from out of state and cannot provide supporting documentation for your home state. If their vehicle has magnetic signage, that’s a red flag.
Don’t ever work on a roof by yourself.
Only hire licensed, registered contractors if you expect quality workmanship. If the work isn’t as promised, you won’t have recourse to do anything. Do you know what paying more than $1,000 to a contractor without a license means? You would be breaking the law in many states.
Watch out for storm chasers! These unethical contractors usually scour an area for work following a major storm. Many are from the area and have the appropriate documentation. Some indicators that a contractor might be a storm chaser include out-of-town area codes, and far away references.
Watch out for the weather if you plan on doing your own roof work. You will obviously want to avoid rain but wind can be a dangerous condition, as well. Strong winds may make you fall because they can push you off balance.
Don’t ever hire anyone to do a roofing job for you unless you have seen proof of licensing. If a contractor is not licensed and provides poor work, the roofer will need to have been licensed in your state. What happens if you are paying someone unlicensed more than one thousand dollars? You would be breaking the law in most states.
Giving your roof a fresh coat of paint might sound like a great idea, but this isn’t always the case. One coat of any type of paint may instantly void your roof’s warranty! You should call your insurance agent to find out how painting your roof would impact your warranty. A pretty, new freshly painted roof isn’t going to be so pretty if you don’t protect it.
Always pay attention to what kind of weather whenever you do any roofing work. While rain is weather you need to avoid, it’s also not a good idea to work in strong winds.
The contract for your roofing project should be comprehensive and include such things as the duration of the job, the repairs required, the materials and all other anticipated expenses. The documentation will make your project run smoothly and will be a great help should problems occur down the road. Proper paperwork can help with any disputes, confusion or claims.
Don’t make any quotes over the phone. These quotes are just a tool used to attract customers over the phone.
If you plan on undertaking a roofing project yourself, be sure and have someone around to keep tabs on you. The worst thing that could happen is if you have some kind of an accident but nobody to help you. Be sure someone can check on you fairly often to make certain you are safe.
Regularly cleaning your gutters is an excellent way to maintain your roof. Clogged gutters lead to roof leaks when the water and cause leaks. Make it a point to clear gutters are cleaned monthly.
Maintain your roof. Your roof has a great deal of significance, both structurally and aesthetically. If you are selling your home and the roof looks damaged, it may scare away potential buyers.
Pick materials for your roof that will make the architecture of your home’s other features. Dark shingles are better for very steep roof. This makes the house look less severe. If the roof on your home maintains a shallow pitch, think about getting lighter-colored roof materials. This helps give your home to appear taller.
Be sure your roof gets a thorough inspection at least once every 12 months. In order to be sure you have a reliable and safe roof, it needs to be checked annually, whether by you or a professional. If you don’t do this, it could lead to bigger headaches in the future.
Get quotes from roofers.Compare their prices and guarantees to make a better decision. You could end up saving yourself a great deal of time and cash.
Realize when a job it too big for you. There are many tasks in roof repair that really need experience and know-how to do right. Knowing what these tasks are can really save you a lot of headaches and potentially even money from shoddy amateur fixes.
Work to get your roof in the best possible condition. Your roof is a very large piece of your dwelling from the elements. If you want to sell your house and the roof looks haggard and worn, people may not be that interested in it.
Dry rot seems to be water-related, but it’s actually caused by improper ventilation. This can damage your shingles, ridge vents, and plywood. Watch out for dry rot, and call a contractor the moment you discover any. It can become a dreadful problem.
Have someone inspect your roof at every year. You can either do it on your own, but you must inspect it once a year to ascertain it’s not damaged. Failing to do so may lead to big problems develop that can be quite expensive and time-consuming.
Keeping up with your roof’s maintenance can make any future repairs a little less costly. Small issues can be dealt with as they arise, cleaning can be done when required, and shingles can be replaced periodically. Simple and easy to overlook at the moment, these can spiral into severe problems with time and weather.
A solid roof is a safe roof. Sometimes it can be hard to know how to make that happen. This article has talked about the techniques and strategies to safely maintain a roof.
Even if a roof does not look damaged, the age of it will result in problems. A roof will generally last between 15 to 30 years before needing to be replaced. Have your roof inspected to ensure it really is in good condition; a roof that is nearing 30 years of age generally needs to be replaced.
