The roof is arguably the most important part of the home. Without a solid roof, the home would not exist. The roof holds the walls up and it provides shelter for the inside of the home. It prevents things like rain and snow from seeping into the house. It is a solid structure that keeps the cold and the heat out of the home, as well. Because of the importance of the roof, replacing or repairing a roof can be very expensive. However, regular maintenance and keeping up with minor repairs can prevent costlier repairs and replacements from being needed.
Clean excess debris off of roof and out of gutters every season. Gutters are made to drain excess water and snow off of the roof. Although a roof is made with great strength to have the ability to hold large amounts of debris, excess amounts of debris can cause additional wear and tear. If leaves, for example are left for too many seasons on a roof, the integrity and strength can be decreased.
Homeowners can easily clean off the roof and the gutters with a long ladder. The ladder provides access to the roof and then the debris can easily be swept off. Other items like tree branches and sticks should also be removed from the roof. In normal circumstances, your roof should be inspected one or twice a year. The inspection should be completed by a professional roofing company. When the roof is inspected this often, minor problems can be quickly fixed before they become major repairs that need to be entire replaced.
Budget for roof repairs. Roofing repairs and replacements can get very expensive, depending on the size of the home and the type of roofs materials that are used. Also, a roof that is in great shape can be damaged by high winds, excess snowfall or hail damage. Homeowners who budget for roof repairs find it less of a burden. On average, homeowners will spend between 1 and 4% of a home?s value annually on maintenance and repairs, which tend to increase as the house ages. For a $200,000 home, that is at least $2,000 in repairs annually.
Invest in an impact resistant roof. Roofs can generally take a lot of debris and weather. However, some states experience more increment of weather conditions. In these states, an impact resistant roof may be necessary to protect the roof from hurricane and tornado wind damage. This can prevent excessive roof repairs from being needed. Impact resistant roofs can also help with water damage. The more sturdy or material the roofs are made of, the less they are likely to experience water damage. Water damage costs an average of $2,386 to fix, with removing standing water at an average reported cost of $2,688. Wind damage is significantly more at $5,757, sometimes reaching $10,000 or more. Fire and smoke damage often reaches $4,172.
Have a preferred roofing repair company on call. Roofs are tasked with protecting the insides of the home. When damage occurs to the roof, the inside of the home is at risk of damage also. It is important to have roofing repairs done immediately. It can be helpful to have preferred and recommended residential roofers on call when an emergency happens. Calling around, attempting to find a good roofing company can waste important time and can increase the damages to the inside of the house.
The roof is an extremely important and crucial part of the home. Not only does it keep increment weather conditions outside of the home, it protects the contents on the inside of the home. Roofing repairs and replacements tend to get very expensive. Homeowners should consistently remove excess debris from the roof, have the roof inspected at least twice a year, have an impact resistant roof installed, budget for home and roof repairs, and have a preferred roofing company on call. Following these steps can extend the life of your home?s current roof and prevent the high costs of roof replacements.