Beautiful weather is here and everyone seems to be outside enjoying it lately. We, here at Pro Home Improvement, are busy working on hundreds of roofing projects all across southeast Michigan, so we love this weather as well. Since roofing project season is in full swing, we wanted to bring you some reminders and tips for your own roof. Some of these are tips to help you plan your new roof or just new ways to think about your potential new roof.
Read through these roofing quick hits and rethink your next roofing project with the help of Pro Home Improvement.
1. Keep up appearances
When you are thinking of your next major home project, don’t forget to consider the look and feel of your roofing. When you consider that your roof comprises 40 percent of the visible exterior, you want it to make a good impression from the street, and to your neighbors.
2. Sneak a peek
Use binoculars to check out your roof from afar. This avoids the treacherous ladder work that typically accompanies a roof inspection. You should look for cracking, curling, and missing shingles. You should also be checking for “bald” patches – areas where the asphalt granules have eroded away enough to expose the bare shingle beneath. This is a huge warning sign for roofing issues. You should also check out your roof from the inside, too. In your attic space, grab a flashlight and look for water stains that may indicate a growing roof leak. Stains & dark spots will commonly appear near nail holes, so start by checking there.
3. Ask the right questions
A reputable roofing company will have a permanent place of business, a phone number, a tax identification number, and a business license. Make sure you also ask for proof of liability insurance and proof of workers’ compensation. If you don’t, you might be exposing yourself to a massive lawsuit if any accidents happen on your property. Pro Home Improvement provides you a copy of the insurance policy with your name as the beneficiary before beginning any project.
4. Take a picture
Many home improvement companies have ways to show you how a new roof material or color will look on your house before they even begin construction. Take a picture and they can modify it with your new roof and you can use that to make your decision. It also serves as a record of how your roof looks at a particular time, so you can compare year to year and look for wearing trends.
5. Get it in writing
Never hire anyone without a written scope of what you agreed upon. A professional roofing company should deliver a detailed proposal that describes the type of roofing, material, and color and overall scope of the project. Ask about setup, cleanup, hauling of old material, what type of dumpster will be sitting in your yard and what happens if there is bad weather. Be sure to ask about start and end dates as well, and get those written into the proposal to help protect yourself from being pushed back in the schedule.
6. Top it off with the usual
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association reports that asphalt shingles are used on about four out of every five residential roofs in the United States. Asphalt products are available in two types—organic and fiberglass—and in a wide variety of colors, styles, and visual textures.
7. Vent a little
Proper attic ventilation ensures that your new roof has a long and functional life, well beyond the warranty. While ventilation requirements vary by region, the National Roofing Contractors Association recommends a minimum of 1 square foot of free vent area for each 150 square feet of attic floor. Pro Home Improvement can give you an estimate for how much ventilation you’ll need to meet the new standards.
8. Think of a roof as an annual cost
Your roof is one of the most important structural aspects of your home, keeping you safe from weather and protecting what is one of your largest investments. Considering this, a new roof can still seem expensive, but you can reframe it as a small annual cost instead of a massive one-time investment: divide the total cost of your new roof (materials and labor) by the life expectancy of your selected roofing material in years.
9. Get hip to the square
When roofing companies refer to squares, they’re referring to the amount of shingles needed to cover 100 square feet.
10. Check out Pro Advice for more info before starting your roofing project
Pro Home Improvement maintains a Pro Advice column, posting tips, information and other resources for you to use to plan your next roof replacement. It can be found here. Subscribe to the newsletter and you’ll be notified anytime a new article is posted.
If you have any questions about your roof or need any help planning your project, be sure to call us at 888-776-1998 to get help from Pro Home Improvement.