Your roof is one of your home’s most important and expensive components. Considering its sheer size, you want it to look and function its best at all times, and the most effective way of doing this is by using residential roofing services to hire. Here are some roofing services to keep up with as a homeowner.
1. Roofing Maintenance
Our doctors keep reminding us of the importance of yearly physicals, checkups, vaccinations, and flu shots. Preventative care for your health is just as important for your home’s roof. Routine roof maintenance will keep it healthy and in optimal working condition.
Your roof is the only thing shielding your family and belongings from the outside world. Maintaining that barrier is crucial for keeping your family safe from less visible threats like excess moisture that can trigger mold growth, falling tree limbs, weather events, and freezing temperatures. For instance, routine roof maintenance, such as insulation inspection, ensures that your home retains heat, preventing energy waste and saving you money.
Besides protecting the contents in your home, your roof serves as a defense layer for your home’s structural components. A well-maintained roof also helps to maintain the integrity of the foundation, walls, rafters, and supporting beams, keeping your home safer and extending its useful life. If your metal roof were to malfunction due to neglect or missed maintenance checks from metal roofing contractors, the rest of your home would be in danger.
Routine roof maintenance from roofing contractors also saves you money over the useful life of your roof. It’s not only because it makes your roof last longer. It’s also because it reduces the cost of repairs.
When you fail to address issues for too long, they become more extensive and expensive. If, for instance, you see ice dams forming on your roof during the winter months but neglect to perform maintenance tasks such as reinforcing the insulation and ventilation, that modest repair might grow into a major one when your roof leaks and causes water damage. Including roof maintenance in your list of residential roofing services to hire will save you money in the long run by sparing you the cost of major repairs or premature replacement.
2. Roof Inspection
Your roof plays a key role in insulating your home and safeguarding its components. Despite its undeniable importance, homeowners often neglect it, leaving them vulnerable to costly avoidable damage. Regular inspections are the most effective way of lengthening your roof’s lifespan and ensuring it’s in great shape.
A roof with minor or extensive damage can let moisture into the home, damaging curtains, wall lining, paint, and wallpapers. The dampness also promotes the growth of fungi, dust mites, and mold, putting the people in your home at risk of various health complications. A professional roofing inspector will help you identify damages and then report on the findings.
Homeowners typically forego routine roof inspections and repairs to save some money. Some choose to perform inspections themselves to avoid the cost of hiring professionals. While you can save some money upfront, you’ll spend more on secondary repairs.
On the other hand, hiring a professional roof inspector will help you deal with minor roof damage. They can also protect you from a potential roof collapse due to heavy snowfall or ice, among other dangers. With the average roof replacement cost ranging between $5,735 to $12,438, according to Angie’s List, investing in inspections as part of the residential roofing services to hire for your home is worth the investment.
Even the most resilient roofing material can suffer damage due to severe weather events like hurricanes, high winds, and thunderstorms. Sometimes, the damage’s effects might not be immediately apparent, making it difficult to submit an insurance claim. After extreme weather, having a professional roofing company look at it will help you find problems and ensure you submit a claim that’ll get you the most compensation.
Your inspector will also compile a detailed report describing the kind, scope, and cost of repairing the damage. This statement will give you the proof to back up your insurance claim. You can also consider this as another way you’ll get to save some money.
Performing a roof inspection without the knowledge and experience of working on roofing systems will put you at risk. For example, treading on loose shingles and soft spots can expose you to trips and life-threatening falls. On the other hand, skilled roofers will use their knowledge to identify risky areas and prevent accidents and employ safety equipment to prevent damage to the roofing material.
Most roofing warranties impose a minimum yearly roof inspection. Calling in the pros for this roofing task will help you avoid issues resulting in warranty avoidance. These include poor installation, unauthorized modifications, roof repair, and maintenance.
Different roofing materials have different estimated lifespan ranges, letting homeowners know when to schedule a replacement. However, certain factors can increase wear and tear, shortening a roofing system’s lifespan. A professional roofing company can inspect your roof for damage caused by these factors and estimate how much life it has left.
3. Roof Repair
When was the last time you had metal roofing contractors perform roof repair on you? If you can’t remember, then you’re not alone. However, neglecting to perform even a minor roof repair will result in long-term problems.
The average roof lasts three decades, according to Gouge Quality Roofing. However, most roofs only last for half that period because homeowners fail to promptly address their repairs and maintenance needs. Schedule annual repairs and maintenance from a residential roofer as part of your residential roofing services to hire, depending on your roof’s condition to ensure it lasts three decades.
According to RoofWorks, the average American household spends around $350, or one-third of its yearly heating and cooling budget, on air that enters the home through unintended cracks and openings. Significant proportions of this air make its way into your home through an unrepaired roof. Having a professional roofer repair any cracks or gaps on your roof will potentially lower your monthly energy bills.
Although you’ll have to get a roof replacement at some point, you don’t want it to happen prematurely. By promptly performing repairs when needed, you can increase your roof’s lifespan and delay the need for a replacement. Timely repairs also help to keep the associated costs low.
Your home’s roof significantly impacts its value. A home with a well-maintained roof exudes a feeling of luxury and shows you value your home. It creates the impression that you only use high-quality products for maximum protection.
So when you decide to place your home on the market, you’ll attract premium home buyers as they’ll see it as high value. The roof is one of the first components homeowners look at before moving on to the interior. With routine roof repairs and maintenance, selling your home won’t be a hassle, and you can set a high asking price.
4. Roof Replacement
Replacing your home’s roof will positively impact the overall aesthetics of your property. Since it’s also a significant financial investment, some homeowners postpone getting roof replacement services as part of the residential roofing services to hire or opt for roof repairs instead. However, performing repairs is like putting a bandage over a broken arm.
The first thing visitors notice about your property is its curb appeal. A beautiful property tends to have a higher perceived value and is more appealing to prospective buyers. Replacing an old and worn roof with a new one will make people believe you’ve also upgraded the rest of the home.
Some home buyers base their decision to view the rest of the home on or move on to the next on the curb appeal. People are more likely to stop and look at your property closer if it looks nice from the curb. Replacing your roof with the help of professional roofing companies is one of the most effective ways of enhancing its appeal.
A sturdy replacement roof ensures proper attic insulation, adequate ventilation, and fewer air leaks. This way, your air conditioner won’t have to work harder to meet your heating and cooling needs. You’ll enjoy a comfortable indoor temperature year-round while keeping your energy costs low.
5. Re-Roofing Services
Most homeowners don’t know much about re-roofing. It involves installing a new roof on top of the current one (typically a new set of shingles), leaving you with two rows of roofing. There are several advantages to using this roofing service.
Re-roofing with the help of professional roofers is a great way to increase your home’s value and enhance its security. According to Fox Haven Roofing Group, a 2019 study claimed that re-roofing offers a 68% ROI. It’s substantially higher than most other improvement projects, giving you more reason to include it in your list of residential roofing services to hire.
Do you feel you’re accruing roof maintenance and repair costs at a rate beyond your control? Hiring professionals to re-roof your home will allow you to address all these issues in one go. This way, you won’t have to fork out money for roof repairs and maintenance constantly.
Nothing improves the exterior aesthetic appeal of your property like a new roof’s fresh, clean appearance. Not only will it make you proud of your property, but it’ll also attract potential buyers if you’re looking to sell. A brand-new roof is a major selling point for those looking to buy a new home.
Certain roofs are more energy-efficient than others. If you decide to re-roof your home, you can also improve its energy efficiency. For example, you can choose metal or tile roofing instead of asphalt as it’s more energy efficient.
Reeroofing from professional residential roofing services to hire will also address gaps or cracks on your roof. These openings let cool air out during the summer and bring in hot air. During winter’s cold months, they let cold air in, which is the opposite of what you want.
6. Don’t Forget About Gutter Cleaning
While gutter cleaning may not be at the top of your list of home maintenance tasks, it plays a key role in protecting your roof’s structural integrity. Gutters collect and direct rainwater off the roof and away from the home, keeping potential structural damage at bay. Although they’re out of sight, remember to give your gutters the attention and care they need.
Roofs can’t hold standing water for long periods. Your gutters safely remove rainfall water from your property and whisk it away. When they experience a blockage due to debris buildup, their ability to drain rainwater effectively is compromised, resulting in preventable damage.
The accumulation of twigs, leaves, and other waste in gutters offers a nesting place for mosquitoes, mice, rodents, and birds, among other things. These nests clog your drains and act as breeding places for pests. Most of these creatures carry diseases that are harmful to human health.
Pests such as mice and rats can damage your home’s structural integrity by chewing and burrowing into the foundation. The material they leave behind can encourage the growth of plants, tree seedlings, and fungi. When this happens, the aesthetics of your home and the integrity of your roof may suffer.
As a general rule, roofers advise cleaning your gutters twice a year with the help of a professional service, but how frequently you do this depends on factors such as the age of the structure, weather conditions, and your property’s surroundings. Suppose your property is surrounded by overhanging trees such as pine trees or has a history of moos growth. In that case, you should frequently hire gutter cleaners as part of your residential roofing services to hire to ensure they’re debris-free, especially after extreme weather.
To ensure your gutters are ready for the winter’s heavy rain, snow, and ice, have your local roofer check them in the autumn after leaves have fallen. Get them rechecked in the spring to ensure they didn’t suffer damage from winter’s extreme weather. Consider contacting a gutter guard company as part of your residential roofing services to hire for your home to reduce the amount of debris that gets into your gutter system.
Giving your roof the attention it needs will ensure you get the most out of its useful life. For this, you’ll need to work with the experts. Use this read as a guide for residential roofing services to hire.