Roof health is among the most essential concerns of just about any homeowner. The fact remains, however, that not all homeowners possess a strong understanding of how best to maintain the integrity of their home’s roof. Keep reading to learn some terrific tips on how to keep any roof in the very best condition possible.
Inspect your roof yearly. Roofs tend to suffer the most damage in the spring and winter. This means it is important to pay extra attention during these times.
Do not try to repair a roof if it’s raining, snowing or icy outside. A wet roof can cause you to fall and seriously injure yourself. It is in your best interest to tackle your project on a dry, sunny day.
When meeting with a professional roofer, ask to see a copy of their liability insurance. Any trustworthy roofer should have copies readily available. If they have a hard time providing you with their papers, they’re probably not someone you want to work with. When you’re trusting someone with your roof, you want all your bases covered.
If someone comes to your door and offers you a free roof, question their motives. Don’t let them up onto your roof – instead, call your insurance agency and ask them to inspect the roof. Until the insurer says you need, and will be covered for, a new roof, don’t sign anything.
There is quite a bit that you need to learn when it comes to roofing and that can be overwhelming. Don’t forget to clean your gutters. When do you need professional help? Fortunately, the below article will provide you with excellent advice on how to conquer your roof. Keep reading to discover some truly amazing tips.
Since you’re going up on your roof anyway to do work, clean the gutters while you’re there. Sometimes a leak can actually be the result of backed-up gutters. Try cleaning them out and then hose down the roof – if the leak doesn’t reappear, you may have actually solved the problem.
In order to ensure that your roof stays in good condition, make sure that you trim the trees in the surrounding areas. This will prevent any branches from scuffing the surface of your roof which could eventually lead to more serious problems. This also helps prevent any fungus or mold grow on your roof.
Avoid paying the entire cost of the job in advance. Paying about 25% should be done if necessary, but anymore than that is not recommended. If the job is paid for in full, the roofers may not do their best work.
Do not choose a roofer based solely on price. Sure, cheaper prices may be good for your pocket, but it could be an indication that you are not going to get the quality work you need. Check out the BBB to find out if a potential roofer is someone you can trust.
Putting on a roof is not easy, which is why most roofers are in their twenties or thirties. Go out of your way to offer the workers a glass of lemonade or bring them out a small snack. Your thoughtfulness may be just the extra incentive they need to give you the best work possible.
Get free quotes. Roofing prices can vary from roofer to roofer and you want to find out what the different prices are in our area. Be sure, though, that when you get prices you are getting the estimate for the same type of shingles and the same service from the roofer.
Be leery of anyone who randomly knocks on your door, and offers to fix your leaky roof. Unscrupulous con-men will offer to do the work, and most times run with your money, without doing any of the work at all. If you need a roofing job done, do your research and find a roofing contractor that you can trust.
If you’re looking into getting insurance on your roof, make sure replacement is covered along with repairs. You don’t want to be stuck paying for a new roof out of pocket. Repair coverage is a great thing to have, but you also want to be covered for the worst case scenario.
While you may only see problems with your roof in the valleys on top of your home, this is one way in which your roof will beg for replacement. These are “high traffic” areas for water, so damage will almost always begin here first. Once it starts, it is time to replace your roof.
When you install a metal roof on your home, make sure accumulated snow will not slide off over a doorway. You or a guest could be surprised when a large clump of snow slips off the roof onto your head. Use special crosswise pieces to direct the snow off to either side instead.
Before you buy a new home, you should have the roof inspected by a professional. A normal home inspection might miss issues with the roof, and could cause big problems for you down the line. As an added bonus, if you decide to sell your home, you’ll be able to show the results of the inspection to prospective buyers.
Ask as many questions of your roofer as you need to before you hire him. If you do not ask questions, you are much more likely to hire someone whose work you are ultimately unsatisfied with. Discuss the materials the person uses, the safety measures they take and more to get a sense of how they do their job.
If you are replacing a roof yourself, always remember to lay a tarp on the ground. When you replace your roof, broken shingles and thousands of nails may fall to the ground below. If you tarp the area, you will make cleanup faster and easier. If you do not, you might find debris on your ground for months to come.
Think local when hiring a roofer. Not only could doing so save you money, as some roofers will charge more the further they have to travel, but a local roofer understands what you need much better. Plus, you will feel good about putting much needed money back into your own community.
Some roofers have subcontractors that they use. That means that a different roofer may come out to your house than you were expecting. Talk to the roofer ahead of time to find out if they subcontract work out. If they do, you may want to think about going with someone else, because you cannot be sure who will show up.
Don’t be too tempted by sales or special offers. While it is great to get a deal on your roof, that is not the only reason that you should select a certain company or roofer. Although operating within a budget is important, you still need to make sure that a knowledgeable professional performs the work.
All homeowners acknowledge the vital nature of a sturdy, impenetrable roof. That is not to say, though, that they all realize how they can ensure that their roofs remain in ideal condition. With any luck, the piece above has served as a wonderful reference guide for anyone interested in learning more about roof maintenance and repair.