One of the biggest foes of your roof is ice. When gutters back up and freeze up, they can push the shingles and even wood up off the top of your house. Once that ice begins to melt, it will leak inside and rot out your home. Watch for ice build up and fix the problem quickly.
Never try to repair a roof in the rain or snow. Climbing onto a roof when the weather is poor could result in injury or even death. Instead, do your best to contain the leak from inside your home with tarps and buckets, and wait until the weather improves before climbing on to the roof.
It is very common for the gutters on your house to become clogged, so make sure you have them cleaned on a fairly regular basis. If you allow them to stay dirty, it will give rain a chance to build up and pool on top of your roof, which increases the chances of the roof becoming damaged.
Never work on your roof by yourself. You should always have someone else present, even if it is solely for the purpose of having someone that can call emergency services if you fall. Falling from the roof can be a disaster, but not having someone to help you is even worse.
See if your roofer offers a warranty. Even if you're working with an excellent contractor, mistakes can happen, and you want to be sure you're covered. Typically, most roofers offer warranties for roof replacements, but not the cost of replacements. See what's available, consider it when you're deciding who you should work with.
If you are getting bids from a few different roofers, have each of them give you a list of how much the materials are and what the cost of labor is. You want to know exactly what everything is costing you, as it will allow you to compare different people more effectively.
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.
If you're in need of a new roof on your home and consider yourself an environmentalist, consider installing a living roof. You can use a living roof for growing flowers and many other types of plants. While a living roof can only be used in certain climates, it also adds extra insulation.
It is very common for a roofer to require you to pay a deposit before they start the job, but never pay them in full until completion. It may https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JYex2-ZqZMt4kImC8jTd2j8HR7BnNKenLcE72RCpuo8/edit?usp=sharing up being very difficult to get a refund if you are not satisfied with their work, so seek out a contractor that requires no more than 25% up front.
Don't install new shingles until you've gone over your roofing materials. Too short or too long nails or weak shingles can lead to leaks. Being sure that the shingles are in perfect condition and that you are using the correct nails to hold them securely will help the roof to last much longer.
Make sure whatever roofer you employ has the proper licence to do the job. If you have no idea what your local requirements are, don't take the contractor's word for it. Research the relevant agency and contact them directly.
Get references from any roofer you are thinking about hiring. If the company is honest, they will not hesitate to provide them. If the company is unable to produce this information, look elsewhere. It is a sure sign that they are not the company you want to work with.
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.
T check your roof for leaks, use a simple garden hose. Take the hose up to the roof and spray water over the area of the roof causing you concern. If it is very icy or extremely cold, you might need to do this more than once, as the water will freeze.
After the roofing work is finished, get up there and make sure everything looks good. You don't have to be an expert in construction to spot an issue or to know if something is not quite right. Do not write out the final check until you take it upon yourself to inspect the work that was done.
Be sure to be courteous if you are having a roof installed in your home. Warn your neighbors, especially if you have a shared driveway. You don't want to make them uncomfortable or unprepared for the people intruding their space. It will also be noisier than normal, and falling debris will be a concern, too.
Don't ever paint your roof, no matter how much you think it will improve in appearance. Older shingles may crack, look dark and otherwise take away from the beauty of your home, however; painting causes serious and permanent damage to the roofing system. Simply replace the old tiles or have the whole roof done, or wait until you can, rather than trying paint.
Take a proactive approach to detecting leaks caused by heavy rainfall. After a storm, wait until it is safe to inspect your roof. The most common problem areas are spots where two different types of materials come together. This might be the junction between tile and stucco, brick and shingle, or tile and brick. Look for bubbling, cracking, and fissures.
Roof maintenance isn't always easy, and it is rarely very fun. It is however, a necessary task if you want to keep your home safe and protected. Use the advice mentioned above to keep your roof in good shape year in and year out. Your efforts will be well worth it in the long run.
