Roof Maintenance
How often do any of us think about our roofs? Well why should we, unless we’re having a dinner party and rain is dripping onto our plates. That is when we remember how simple it would have been to inspect the roof when it was not raining, and since right now it isn’t raining, we don’t need to fix it since it’s not leaking.
Our parents and grandparents had few choices in roofing materials, but today we have all kinds of exotic compositions available; even sheet metal roofs are gaining in popularity. Nevertheless, roof failure is a given. Even the sturdiest materials, such as slate, cement, and clay tile, will eventually have to replaced (it be may take a few centuries with slate, though), You have to choose what the best material is for you, your house, and certainly your budget. A copper roof looks awesome, but it costs more pennies than most of us can afford.
Making repairs
If this is your situation, it is time to quit evaluating and get busy. If you are a jack-of-all-trades, you might want to replace your roof by yourself or at least make minor repairs. Minor repairs, such as patching or replacing a few shingles, can be done by any homeowner, that is unless your suffer from vertigo. Saying the obvious, it is smart to do the work before the rainy season starts.
As you are inspecting your roof, look for shingles blowing up and down in the wind like the wings of a bird. This is definitely a bad sign, but you probably won’t see anything quite that dramatic. Finding more material granules in the gutters than on the shingles themselves is a more common sign. Each type of roof will show different symptoms of wear and tear.
Types of shingles
Most of the roofs in the world are some type of tile or concrete; most roofs on American homes are covered with asphalt shingles, which are also known as composition shingles. The best are made from fiberglass, asphalt, and mineral or ceramic granules. These shingles are relatively easy to install, long-lasting, and low maintenance. Architectural grade asphalt shingles are thicker and longer-lasting than the standard three-tab shingle, which is the less expensive of the two types.
Problem with wood shingles
The best wood shakes and shingles are usually made from cedar and are a sorry choice for a roofing material in my opinion. Wood is high maintenance (in some climates, it should be cleaned and treated every two to three years) and has mediocre fire resistance. If you don’t believe me, ask the California firefighters who watched house after wood roofed house go up in flames during these past few years of fire outbreaks. Periodically spraying fire-retardant chemicals on wood shake roofs increases their fire resistance only marginally and even then for only a limited period of time. Fire departments and insurance companies like tile, metal, and slate because they don’t burn. Homeowners like them because they’re long-lasting, low-maintenance materials.
Category: Home maintenance
