Written by-Roach Thomson

Most people ignore the roof until it develops a problem. A lot of people do not know much about roofing, so addressing a roofing problem can be intimidating. This article will tell you all about caring for your roof.

If you notice that your roof is leaking, wait until the area is dry to start fixing it. You can't walk safely on a slippery roof. Once the roof dries, you'll be able to fix the problem.

If someone comes to your door and offers you a free roof, question their motives. Don't let them up onto your roof - instead, call your insurance agency and ask them to inspect the roof. Until the insurer says you need, and will be covered for, a new roof, don't sign anything.

The number one priority when doing any roofing repairs is safety. Repairing a roof in bad weather is a recipe for disaster. Stick a bucket beneath your leak while you wait for the weather to return to normal. Afterwards, you can check out your roof and see what it'll take to fix things.

Before you sign anything, make sure you have a proposal from your contractor in writing. It should include scheduling, including the anticipated completion date, a detailed cost analysis, information about what procedures they have for installation, information on your warranty and all the contact information you'll require for the company.

To avoid a common scam roofing companies engage in, don't pay anything to your contractor until the supplies have been delivered. Some firms will ask for a down payment up front to cover their supplies, but you should pay them only once you have the supplies in hand so you get what you pay for.

Always be sure that you're not paying for the whole project before it's all done. Although paying approximately 25% of the cost upfront may be necessary, avoid paying more than this amount. You don't need them to do less or poor work than you expected.

Do not allow a low price estimate to sway you into selecting a roofer that is not really qualified to do the job. There are many people out there that charge very low prices simply because the service they plan to give you is not really as good as other contractors. You should definitely place experience ahead of price when trying to hire someone.

Make note of your initial impression of any companies you contact and receive quotes from. How was the customer service? Did you have to wait long to speak to someone? Did they answer all of your questions thoroughly? This can tell you a lot about how your overall experience will be from start to finish if you decide to choose them.







There are many perks to living in an older home, but the roof usually isn't one of them. If your home's roof is over ten years old, you may not be able to insure it at all. Make updating your roof a priority. Make sure any replacement uses primarily new materials so that finding insurance coverage won't be a problem.

Make sure your roof is well ventilated. Without good ventilation, heat and humidity will be able to do some serious damage to your roof. You can improve your roof by adding additional events, or by adding a single power vent. As long as your roof has room to breathe, you'll be in good shape.

If the source of your leaky roof is evading you, don't worry. You'll find it sooner or later, likely by using a hose and having a friend help. If your home is large, communicate with cell phones to prevent unnecessary large amounts of water from getting into your home.

Never allow local roofing contractors to work on your roof without then furnishing a written contract. If they do work that is subpar and you end up having issues with them, it will be hard to prove what they were contracted to do if you don't have any paperwork. If your contractor gives you a hard time about this, it would probably be best to find someone else.

Don't assume you need a new roof. Call a roofer and have them inspect it before you invest any money. Why spend thousands of dollars on an entirely new roof when a few minor repairs would have sufficed?

Some roofers have subcontractors that they use. That means that a different roofer may come out to your house than you were expecting. Talk to the roofer ahead of time to find out if they subcontract work out. If they do, you may want to think about going with someone else, because you cannot be sure who will show up.

When you are looking to balance both longevity and affordability, consider wood shake shingles. This type of roofing can last as long as half a century, yet the price tag is quite reasonable. You also do not have to shore up your trusses to install a roof made entirely of this material.

When you're looking for roof damage, pay attention to the gutters and fascia directly beneath roof valleys. Any rust, discolorations, or obvious water damage here indicates a definite problem. Valleys concentrate water on your roof. If they're not properly flashed, that water will leak into the structure of your roof and walls, leading to serious problems. When you see signs of excess water underneath your valleys, it's time to replace their flashing.

While it's common knowledge that a wet roof is a slippery roof, not everyone knows that leaves and debris can be slippery too. If you need to do work on your roof, you should be extra cautious of them. Clear them away immediately, and give yourself extra protection by wearing shoes with rubber soles.

Use the NRCA, or National Roofing Contractors Association to find a local roofing company. Visit their site and enter your address to start searching local companies. The NRCA has worksheets to help you make a decision. This worksheet includes things like years of training under a particular company, years of experience, lawsuits against the company, etc. It also confirms whether they have proper local licenses, insurance, offered warranties, and material details.

As was stated in the beginning of this article, many homeowners neglect taking proper care of their roofs until a serious problem arises. Make sure https://www.slideshare.net/darrieriebe use the tips and tricks illustrated above to ensure that your roof is always in good health so that you won't ever have to deal with costly problems in the future. You'll be glad you did.