A model home is one of the biggest investments you make. Most of the times, you put in your life’s effort to build the ideal home for you and your family, but as years go by, your home ages just like you do.
With changing weather and seasons, your home takes a toll. Its appearance becomes less desirable and would need a renovation.
The roof is the first feature any of the neighbours, visitors, and those who pass by will see. This makes house roofing repair and maintenance an important part of the renovation works.
But before you get in the process of renovating the roof, there are a few things to keep in mind. From installing new shingles to getting help from roofing experts, you have to keep in mind the factors which can help you renovate the roof with ease.
So without further adieu, let us take a look at some of the roof renovation tips for your better home. Studying these tips in detail will help you in renovating the roof with efficiency.
1) Inspect The Damage
First and foremost, make sure you know the extent of the damage. This will help in determining whether the roof requires a total rework or only a makeover.
Depending on that, the contractors should be informed of what you are expecting from their work. Inspect the damage from different vantage points. Observe from the inside as well. Look for missing shingles, curling, lack of granular covering and cracking. Roof leaks can be located by inspecting for water stains.
2) Inspect Roof Shingles and Nails
Sometimes the nails might not hold the shingles down properly. Nailing the nails down too low might lead to it pushing itself back. Or if the shingles are faulty, there are chances for the development of cracks. So make sure the materials you have bought are not faulty before installing them.
3) Conduct Roof Leaking Check
If you have to repair roof leaking due to damage, spraying can help. Spraying on the roof with water is a good way to find out leaks. Use a garden hose and spray at different parts of the roof to determine the existence of any leaks. This is an ideal way to find out roof leaks.
4) Check The Roof Boots
Roof boots are often the place which we all miss while inspecting a roof for damage. The place where the roof fence comes up is where you will find roof boots. Major leaks can be the result if these dry up. The fix is to install a new roof boot. It is available at the local hardware stores. For installing new roof boot, you may have to remove few of the shingles. A better layer of tar will have to be put to lay the shingles back again.
5) Consult Experts
Once you have inspected the roof yourself, consult an expert. They can inspect the roof from their point of you and give you an exact report on where the problems lie. They can also help with ways to improve the styling of the roof. With their help, you will also get to know about the expenses incurred to renovating your roof.
6) Know Your Requirement
Before you start the process of renovating the roof, make sure you have a clear idea of what you want. Consult with the contractors and add your ideas to theirs to get the best outcome as there is no point getting a roof remodel which does not appeal to you. Ask for specifics when you consult the contractors and know where you are investing your money.
7) Ask More Quality Questions
The renovation contractor should have the proper qualification. So make sure to ask the right questions regarding the renovation of the roof.
8) Safety Always Come First
Wanting to fix a leak or any damage as soon as it has happened might get you in trouble. It is not ideal to meddle with the roof while it is raining. You might find the leak, but you may also end up in the emergency room. A temporary fix for a leak can result in more damage to the roof. So if you are looking for a permanent fix, there is a need for you to be patient and wait for the right time to get it fixed.
9) Be Prepared and Well Planning
Take necessary precautions when you are planning on renovating the roof yourself. Working on a roof can put your body in a certain level of risk, and it would not be comfortable at all. Always take the help of a harness, wear shoes with rubber soles to prevent slipping. Have a buddy of yours to work alongside you. This would help in reducing the risk and get help faster in the case of an emergency.
10) Work On The Appearance
The look and style matters. So, keep in mind ways to improve the appearance when you are renovating the roof. For any home, 40 percent of the average visible exterior is the roof. You definitely want it to look good. A good looking roof would improve the charm of the house by a mile. Know the colour, type of material, and the style you want to renovate your roof with.
11) Take Digital Pictures Before Your Start
The contractors can use modern technologies to take digital pictures of your home. This can help in understanding how different materials and style would suit your roof even before applying it. It is a great way to get to know the result of the roof renovation. The process helps in reducing the cost of renovation.
12) Get the Proposal In Writing
A proposal in writing should be delivered to you by the contractor before commencing work. The proposal should detail the kind of material, the kind of roofing, the colour of the roofing material used for renovating the roof.
It should specify whether the existing layer of roofing will be removed before the application of new shingles. Or it will be covered with the existing roof. Basically, it should specify whether the damage will be repaired by changing the roof completely or by fixing the roof which is damaged.
The responsibility for installing new ventilation and roof flashing should be described in the proposal. But the most important part of the proposal is the estimation of the date of commencing and the day of completion of the work.
13) Check With the Municipality
The municipality should be contacted before commencing the work. The building department will be able to help you with delivering information on how many times we can recover the existing roof and if we can recover, the materials which can be used for the process.
In some communities, it is allowed to have more than two layers of roofing material. But in some cases, the previous layer has to be taken down before the installation of new roofing material.
14) Roof Shingle Quantity
Contractors usually talk about squares. It is the number of shingles needed to cover an area of 100 square feet. So, talk to your contractor about the shingles needed to complete renovation of the roof before commencing the work.
It is estimated that four out of five homes are installed with asphalt shingles. It is available in two variants – organic and fibreglass. Recycled wood fibres and waste paper (cellulose) are used to manufacture organic shingles. On the other hand, glass fibres are used to make fibreglass shingles.
15) Check Out Alternatives Materials
Redwood and cedar roofs are great for appearance. But can be risky when it comes to fire safety. So, it is worth finding an alternative which would give you the appearance of redwood or cedar but would not pose the risks.
Metal roofing, synthetic, or fire resistant wood shingles would be the ideal alternatives. Checking with the local guidance codes would give you a fair idea of the alternatives.
Concrete tiles or real clay can also work for this matter. But it has to be found out whether your house can carry the extra weight. Mimicking the look without affecting the safety factor would be the best way to enhance the appearance of the roof.
16) The Roof Is An Investment
Understand that roof is one of the most important parts of any home. Without a good roof, the home is worthless. This calls for considering roof renovation as an investment.
Get the advice of professional renovation contractors before giving the work to the first expert you talk to. The lowest bidder is not always the best. Consider roofing as an annual cost.
Choose the contractor who would do the best work according to your needs. The life expectancy of the material used should be considered when the cost of the new roof is derived. The use of the good quality material will reduce the investment on roofing per year. Look at your roof as a long-term investment.
17) Clean The Gutters
Once you have renovated the roof, it is essential for your part to keep the gutters clean. There is high chance for the gutters to be filled with leaves and other forms of clogs. Not cleaning it will result in the build-up of water during rain. This build-up can damage the roof and develop leaks. So, keep the gutters clean and save yourself some money during the next roof renovation.
18) Dry Rot Prevention
The lack of ventilation leads to dry rot. The plywood might be taking a lot of damage if the repair is in the middle of the roof. The roof shingles might crack and leak or become brittle as the roof will begin to sag due to the deterioration. If the roof has a soffit vent, the ridge vent is the way to prevent dry rot. The soffit vent will have to be drilled through with holes. This will allow cool air to pass through from the bottom. It pushes the hot air to go through the top.
19) Proper Ventilation
It is a requisite to have a roof which has a better life expectancy. The ventilation requirements differ from area to area. To connect with the local authorities to understand the ventilation requirements. The usually recommended measure is one square foot of free vent per attic floor of 150 square feet.
As said earlier, roof plays an important part in improving the appearance of your home. Replacing or reworking on the roof might be the best way to strengthen and also make your house look better. So invest in it whenever the need arises. Use these tips to make your house look and hold up great.
In The End
Do not end up with a home having blocks which need repair and be a sour thumb in the locality. Instead, use the available resources and make your house stand out from the rest. Because you know, there is no better investment than your home.
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