Do you have a damaged roof that needs repair or replacement? How bad is the damage to your roof? Do you know what to look for and how to repair or replace your roof? Do you know how bad your roof damage is?
First step is to contact your local roofing company and schedule a free roof consultation and a thorough roof inspection. The roofing company during the free roof inspection will be able to tell you if the damage to your roof requires a roof section repair or a completely new roof. Your local roofing contractors will be able to recommend what is best for the safety of your home and family when looking to either repair or replace your roof.
What You Need to Know About Roofing Repairs
Generally, roofing repairs are a major investment. In fact, replacing a roof demands that you identify the specific problems with the roof and consult an experienced roofing contractor.
Since Shelter Roofing knows the nitty-gritty of roof repairs, we’d like to share basic facts about roofing repairs. These steps will help you to make informed decisions about fixing your old or leaky roof.
1. What Roofing Materials Should You Choose?
Where you reside determines what roofing materials would be suitable for your home. Most homes in Southern California require fire-resistant roofs such as asphalt composition shingle, clay and concert tiles, and slate roofing materials.
All of these materials are durable and long-lasting even though they are heavier than most materials.
Also, consider the color and shape of roof which you need to match your home exterior. In addition, choose only a roofing contractor that understands the pros and cons of all roofing materials.
Remember to never settle for low-cost materials because many times, low-cost materials are low-quality materials. So, it’s essential that you spend well for value.
2. Do You Want to Replace All or Part of the Roof?
If you’re considering roof replacement because of roof leaks, you might not need to replace the entire roof. Instead, we recommend that you repair only the part of the roof which may have been punctured or affected by rusty nails.
Likewise, roofing repairs are more affordable than roof replacement or new roof installation. Repairs are usually the best bet when you’re working on a small budget.
3. Can You Handle the Noise that Comes with Roof Replacement?
Roofing repairs are also popular for causing noise pollution. So, you may need to step outside your home for the period of the project.
At Shelter Roofing, we ensure that our clients are undisturbed while we work. However, if you prefer to avoid the bangs and cutting sounds, take some time away from the project area until the repairs are completed.
4. Ask to See Past Roofing Projects
There’s no denying the fact that choosing a local roofing company is vital. Now, going through the portfolio or gallery of your prospective local roofer will equally enable you to get a good idea of what they’re capable of.
Since seeing is believing, you need evidence that your roofing repairs will be flawless and long-lasting.
Call in an Expert
Fixing a roof is not always a DIY project. You might void the warranty of your roof if you try and fix it yourself. An older roof may be disintegrating even more. When you don’t know what you’re doing, you could create an even bigger problem. Steep roofs are extremely hazardous too. Most homeowners don’t have the right tools or even know how to repair a roof properly. Unless you’ve done roofing before, it’s better to call a professional to ensure that the job is done right.
Your roof is more than just the top layer of your home. It’s a complex system designed to protect, insulate and maintain the structure of your home. It’s an important investment, so it only follows that you’ll want to keep it in prime condition for as long as possible. Proper roofing maintenance is an important part of your roof’s upkeep and should never be neglected.
12 Roofing Materials to Consider for Your House
Roofing your house rarely rates high on the list of fun and exciting home remodeling projects. But when your home develops a leak, your attitude might take a sharp turn. Suddenly, the prospect of a dry, tightly-sealed house begins to look very attractive.
There are many types of roofing materials to choose from, and a little bit of investigation might lead you to consider a new type of roofing rather than simply replacing with the same material you now have. Choosing the right roofing material requires that you weigh appearance, longevity, cost, and structural issues.
Here are 12 possibilities to consider when it comes time to replace your roof.
Rolled Roofing
Rolled roofing material is the mainstay of low-slope residential roofs as well as out-buildings like shops and sheds and other utilitarian structures. Rolled roofing consists of long rolls of mineral-impregnated asphalt-impregnated material topped with mineral granules. Each roll is about 100 square feet of roofing, about 3 feet wide.
These large-format strips of thin roofing material offer a fast, convenient, and inexpensive way to cover a sloped-roof building like a workshop where appearances aren’t important. Rolled roofing can be applied either with the torch-down method or with roofing nails.
Rolled roofing is relatively inexpensive, costing $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot, installed. Rolled roofing lasts, on average, about 10 years before it needs to be replaced.
Built-Up Roofing (BUR)
Built-up roofing (BUR) is one of the oldest options for material for flat roofs or roofs that are very low in pitch. BUR systems are constructed with several layers of roofing felt impregnated with asphalt that is applied hot. The felt is applied in overlapping layers to form a barrier two to four layers thick, then a layer of finely crushed stone is embedded in hot tar over the top to create a very durable and impenetrable roof.
BUR roofs typically cost $2.50 to $5.00 per square foot, installed.
Industry surveys show that a properly installed BUR roof can last 20 to
30 years.
Membrane Roofing
Another choice for flat or very low-pitch roofs is a membrane roof. There are several types of the membrane that can be used, including:
Neoprene (polychloroprene)
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer)
PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
Chlorinated polyethylene and chlorosulfonated polyethylene sheets
Polymer-modified bitumens
One of the best membranes is EPDM. EPDM is a synthetic roofing material often referred to as “rubber roofing.” It is similar to rolled asphalt roofing in that it is applied in large sheets that limit the number of seams where water can infiltrate.
Costs for a membrane roof range from $3 to $4 per square foot, installed. Lifespan is typically 20 to 35 years when the roof is properly maintained.
Asphalt Composite Shingles
Asphalt composite shingles are the most popular roofing material in North America. Made from a fiberglass base topped with asphalt and mineral granules, these three-tab shingles are an all-around good choice for most home roofing needs. They typically come with a 20- to 30-year warranty, and replacing individual shingles that are damaged is a fairly easy job. Virtually every roofing company is familiar with installing these singles. Composite shingles excel at flexing and adapting to a roof’s movements due to expansion and contraction.
Costs range from $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot, installed. Depending on the quality of the shingles and the conditions, the lifespan of the roof can range from 12 to 30 years.
Standing Seam Metal Roofing
The most common type of metal roof is the standing seam roof, so named because the aluminum or steel roofing panels meet in raised seams that interlock to keep moisture out. Metal roofs of all kinds are increasingly popular in regions with heavy snowfall or where there is a notable danger of wildfires since this is a roofing material that is fully fireproof.
Metal roofs are very long-lived and are fully recyclable when they finally do wear out. But installation requires special skills and not every roofing company is prepared to install a standing seam metal roof.
Costs typically run from $6 to $12 per square foot, installed. Metal roofs commonly last 30 to 50 years, but some have been known to last 75 years.
Metal Shingles/Shakes
For homeowners who do not like the look of standing seam metal roofs but want the advantages of metal, there are steel or aluminum shingles or shakes now available. Made from stamped metal and finished with either a high-quality baked-on coating or mineral granules, metal shingles can be fabricated to look very much like traditional asphalt shingles, wooden shakes, or even slate or clay tiles. They are an excellent choice where appearance is a critical concern.
Metal shingle roofs typically cost $7 to $10 per square foot, installed. They can last 30 to 50 years.
Wood Shingle or Shakes
Wood roofs are very attractive, but they are also quite expensive and have limitations. They are not particularly long-lived, and they are a poor choice in areas that get lots of moisture or where wildfires are a danger. Still, they are among the most attractive of all roofing materials, which makes them a popular choice for luxury homes.
Although both are made from natural wood, usually cedar or redwood, there is a difference between wood shakes and shingles. Shingles are typically thin, wedge-shaped slabs of wood that are produced by precise sawing. Shakes are produced by splitting and are thicker wedges with a rougher texture.
Shingles typically cost about $4.50 to $9.00 per square foot, installed; shakes are more expensive, with average costs of $6.50 to $11 per square foot, installed. Longevity depends very much on circumstances and maintenance. In relatively dry climates, and wood shingle or shake roof can last 60 years; in damp conditions, you may only get 20 years from the roof.
Clay Tile
Clay tile is made from earthen clays molded into rolled or interlocking shapes and fired for hardness. It is often left unglazed, with the characteristic reddish-orange color; or it can be glazed and fired to form ceramic roofing tiles. Clay tile is a very good roofing material for hot climates or where salt air is present, which is why these roofs are seen so often in southern coastal regions or desert regions.
Tile is an expensive roofing material, with costs that can range from $10 to $18 per square foot, installed, though more exotic ceramic tiles can run as much as $30 per square foot, installed. Clay tile is a very long-lasting roofing material that can last more than a century.
Concrete Tile
Concrete tile is an alternative to clay tile, with similar installation techniques and similar advantages. Concrete tiles are molded from standard sand-mix concrete colored to whatever hues are desired. A variety of profiles are available, some of which resemble rolled clay tiles, others that are low-profile resembling wood shakes. Concrete tile is sometimes finished with a decorative coating. It is a very heavy roofing material, making it a good choice in high-wind regions.
Costs are about one-third less than clay tile—typically about $9 to $12 per square foot. Life expectancy is 50 years or longer.
Slate Shingles
A slate roof is perhaps the finest roofing material there is—a choice for the homeowner who will accept only the finest. There are slate roofs hundreds of years old that are still functioning. True slate roofing is just as it sounds: authentic, thin sheets of real stone. Because slate has a tendency to cleave off in thin sheets, it is easy to quarry, making it ideal for roofing. But installing slate is a very specialized skill, and qualified installers can be hard to find.
Slate roofs typically cost $30 to $75 per square foot, installed. But it is very likely the only roofing you will ever install—a slate tile roof often lasts 75 to 200 years. Read more here…
Hiring Professionals for Proper Roofing Maintenance
It helps to think of scheduled roofing maintenance as the equivalent of your annual physical checkup. The same applies to your roof; professionals like us inspect your roof inside and out, edge to the ridge, then we tell you which parts of your roof will need repairs. It may cost money, but it’s only a fraction of the cost of a premature roof replacement.
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You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
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Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
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