How Old Is the Roof on Your Home?

For the first 15 years you lived in your subdivision, you had no alternate roofing choice. Every home was required to have shake shingles. After years of complaints ranging from insect problems to deterioration, the homeowner’s group has decided to approve a change. Many homeowners complained that the heat generated from the shingles was a breeding ground for a small bug called silverfish. Often accumulating in the recessed areas of canned lights, when the temperatures finally dropped many dead silverfish would also drop, falling out of the lights and littering carpets and other surfaces.
In addition to the silverfish, shake shingles did not age well. In the opinion of many of the homeowners, a shake shingle roof only looked nice for the first one or two years. After this time, the greyed and warped surfaces were not attractive to many of the owners.
Now that the local roofing company offers many other far more attractive composite shingles, your homeowner’s association has allowed the residents in your neighborhood the opportunity to select options other than shake shingles.
What Product Does Your Roofing Company Suggest for Your Home?
Different climates often require or determine different kinds of roofing products. In northern parts of the country, for instance, where snow totals are significant, a roofing company might promote metal roofing products that encourage the snow to easily slide from the roof, eliminating heavy weight on a structure for weeks on end. In other parts of the country like the southwest, for example, a roofing company might suggest a clay ceramic tile roof, one that would help absorb heat and prevent the inside of a home from becoming too warm.
In almost all cases, it is important for a homeowner to consult with a local roofing company or other local resources to find out what the best recommendations are. It would be ill advised, for instance, for a homeowner to install a replacement roof that shares no similarity to the other roofs in an area. Although different roofing companies may offer different prices, warranties, and installation schedules, few will advice a product that is not a good product for a particular region.
Roof Maintenance Requirements Often Make Some Choices Very Unpopular
Did you know that there are over 50,000 businesses that provide the installation of roofing, siding, and sheet metal work? These thousands of companies provide a product that is essential to the quality of a home. A quality well installed roof can protect the inside of a home by keeping things dry. It can also help reduce heating and cooling costs. A top quality roof, combined with the proper amounts of and kind of insulation, can have a dramatic effect on energy bills.
In addition to selecting a roofing product for its suitability to a particular region and for its energy efficiency, many homeowners also base their decision of maintenance. While no roof will last forever, many of the latest composite products or metal roofs are virtually maintenance free for many year. As many as 72% of homeowners, for instance, indicate that they would select new roofing materials that require little or no maintenance. Roofing projects can be both extensive and expensive, and for this reason most homeowners prefer to make an investment and install a product that has a long life.
Maintenance free roofing materials avoid the need for repair unless extreme weather conditions prevail. With the exception of heavy, strong winds or large hail, for instance, some of the most versatile roofing materials have warranties that last anywhere from 50 to 100 years.
Exterior Care Is an Important Part of Homeownership
Although the most fun part of owning a home may be the interior updates and decisions that homeowners make, most people realize that maintaining the exterior is important. In fact, 88% of homeowners across all regions of the country see the exterior of their homes as one entity, not a sum of its separate components. This means that the repair and maintenance of shingles, siding, gutters, windows, and paint are important to the value of a home. Making informed decisions about the professional installation of quality products can create a home that will have many benefits, including value, energy efficiency, and curb appeal.