When it comes to the renovation of a house roof, most people do not take it seriously. Roofing experts point out the fact that about 40% of your home’s exterior comprises the roof.
The roof is the part of the house that most homeowners do not pay attention to. However, that should not be the case at all.
When your roof is crumbling and distended, it can lead to a rise in the heating and cooling bills of your home. It can also lower the value of your home when you try to sell it later on.
When the roof of your home is old, it can also create unnecessary danger for your family and yourself.
This is because the old roof can not stand strong against bad weather anymore.
In today’s article, we are going to take a look at some reasons why you should give much attention to the roof of your home and have it renovated as soon as you spot danger signs.
Taking good care of your roof and renovating is one of the best things you can do for your home if you are one of those who regard your home as your biggest investment.
Reasons Why Your Roof Is Important
Although you may not have been seeing any importance in the roof of your house, it is the opposite.
Below, we will take a look at why your roof is as important as the house itself. These are some of the advantages that the roof of your home avails to you.
Protecting The House
The roof is the barrier that protects the inside of your house from the weather as well as a lot of other elements.
If you are a resident of Long Island, you will probably agree with this statement because Long Island is a place where the weather varies.
Between the humid summers, the cold snowy winter and the other seasons, the roof of your home can take quite a beating and age.
Once you notice that there are some areas in your roof that look to be sagging with shingles missing or seeing the outside light shining through the roof, your roof may probably require an inspection and a possible renovation.
Taking care of any danger signs at the beginning can save you from much bigger problems later on.
Curb Appeal
The exterior of your home is the place people see before they see the inside of the house. It does not matter how good the interior of the home looks.
If the exterior looks rundown, that can greatly affect the curb appeal of your house. Renovating the roof with a new one is one of the ways to keep the curb appeal of your home intact.
You can have new shingles with colors like teak, burnt sienna, slate, and many other colors to give a new life to the exterior appearance of your home.
These can complement the newly installed roof and enhance its style.
Insulation
When you notice that your home has been draftier than normal, you should probably start thinking about installing a new roof immediately.
The attic insulation of most homes has been designed to last for several years. However, war and tear can have an impact on them and reduce their effectiveness.
So when you decide to renovate the roof of your house, you should consider replacing the attic insulation as well.
When you replace the attic insulation, it will keep your home more comfortable and help you save on fuel costs in the process.
No one wants to be living inside a poorly insulated home, especially me.
Resale Value
When the roof of your home is in good shape, it adds some value to the house when the time comes for you to part with it.
Since most expert real estate investors check the roof before buying a house, the bad roof could cause them to pay lower than you are asking for or even quit on the sale altogether.
However, when the roof is good, it can add some resale value to the house.
Replacing the roof of your home comes with many benefits that most homeowners are not aware of.
However, to enjoy these benefits, the renovation should be handled by roofing experts that can be trusted to deliver a good job.
Roofing experts will also be able to answer any questions that you may have concerning your roof.
They will also help you make the right choices when selecting the materials for the roofing renovation project.
Signs That Show That It’s Time For A New Roof
So now that you know of the advantages a good roof affords your home, Let us look at how you can tell when your roof requires some renovation.
The winter season is one of the toughest times for homes and their roofs.
While the exterior of the house may witness high winds and winter weather, the roof deals with much bigger problems such as snow and rain.
The snow can sit on the roof of your home for days and may end up causing some damage to the roof.
However, for people who do not live in such areas, it is hard to tell when the roof needs renovation. The points outlined below can help you discern that.
Leaks
Every homeowner knows that having a leaking roof is not a good thing. A leak is a sign that your roof requires some renovation work.
A roof leak does not necessarily only mean when water is pouring into the house through the ceiling.
Roof leaks can show as a bubbling plaster or even create an avenue for black mold to grow. Spotting mold and rot under the shingles is also another sign of a weak leaky roof.
You should simply place a call to your roofing contractor whenever you suspect any form of water damage.
Shingles That Get Missing
Unlike a roof that is leaking, roofing contractors can normally come and fix a roof that has lost a few shingles quickly.
You will probably need to look around the roof quite often to make sure everything is doing good up there.
You can spot missing shingles when you take a look at the lawn instead of the roof.
When a hurricane, a blizzard or high winds pass, it might cause some sort of damage to your roof and the shingles may have gotten blown off.
All you have to do is to act quickly to replace missing shingles to avoid bigger problems in the future.
Age
The roof on your house can last between 15 to 30 years depending on the kind of materials that were used and how the work was done.
You can talk to your roofing contractor to determine how old your roof is if you do not know.
You can also get some preventative work done on the roof while you are at it.
Sagging
A sagging roof can be a big problem, especially after the winter season. If the snow that piled up on the roof did not cause any breaks or leaks, it may have still caused some sort of damage to the structure of the roof.
Your roofing contractor or company can assess the roof and make deductions on how to fix the sagging roof before it finally collapses.
If it ends up collapsing, the repair bills to pay will certainly be more.
Choosing The Right Roof For Your House
When renovating the roof of your house, you will have to use the best materials available only to ensure that the renovations can last and protect your home against the weather and other elements.
Apart from protecting the interior of your home, the roof also has an impact on the exterior appearance of your home.
Due to this, there are several things you will have to consider when you go out to choose the materials for the roof renovation project.
Here are some of the roofing styles you can choose from for your home.
Gable Roof
This is one of the most common forms of the roof and they have a ‘traditional up and over design that makes it easy for rain and snow to slide off the roof during their respective seasons.
This is one of the simpler and cheaper roofs you can choose for your roof renovations.
However, that does not mean that it is necessarily the best choice of roof for your house, especially if you live in areas that are susceptible to hurricanes and other bad weather.
According to a roofing expert known as Bernaudo, these types of roofs “Act like a wing and create a lift during high winds, which can cause the material to peel off”
Hipped Roof
These are roofs with sloping sides that slope toward a wall. The hipped roof is also another common type of roof that is much stronger than the garble style of roofing.
This is because the hipped roof can perform better during times of extreme winds, unlike the gable roof.
And just like the gable roof, the hipped roof also allows water and snow to slide off it easily.
One downside of a hipped roof is that it causes the interior of your home to have fewer spaces and this can make access to the attic of your home quite difficult.
The hipped roof has complicated maintenance as well.
Mansard And Gambrel Roof
These two types of roofs are quite similar because both have a slight slope at the top with a steeper portion below. This creates a flat area at the top of the house.
Due to this flatness, these kinds of roads are not the best choice for people who live in areas where snow and strong winds are common.
However, people consider the shapes of these two kinds of roofs as pleasing aesthetically. This style also allows you to have more space in your attic.
Other Things To Consider When Choosing Your Roof Type
When you are deciding on the type of roof style to choose, you must discuss this with the roofing contractor who will be working on the project.
Since he or she has more experience and also knows about the kind of roofing style that would be good for the area where your home is.
The roofing contractor will discuss all the necessary factors with you before the final decisions are made.
This will take into account your budget, the climate of your area, the current roofing frame of your house, and the longevity of your roof.
The factor that should be given the most attention when pondering them is the climate of the area.
There are also several points that you would have to review as well. Replacing just the roof is the part that takes the least amount of time and energy.
However, changing the whole roof design can take a lot of time and energy. It can also be quite expensive although it will be worth it in the end.
According to Bernaudo, “Where the home is located, which direction the house faces, and what type of weather it will be up against should be the biggest thing to consider when deciding on a roof.
You should consider functionality over aesthetics”
Conclusion
So you are now aware of the kind of value the roof adds to your home and how that affects your resale value.
Always pay attention to your roof and call your roofing contractor when you think something is wrong.
Do not wait for the problem to get bigger before you make a move. It could be too late by then.
