Knowing When to Repair or Replace Your Roofing
Small problems in your roofing system can be easily fixed with a single replacement or repair with the help of a professional and highly experienced roofer. But, if your roof is not steep and you are not afraid of heights, plus you have some knowledge and experience in basic roofing repairs, then you can also attempt to perform these simple roofing fixes yourself. However, it is extremely important that you take every safety precaution necessary when working on your roofing.
Roofing repair job is certainly not easy as you can end up hurting yourself or causing injury to someone who is not qualified to the job, leaving you liable for all the accidents that took place on your property. This is the reason why it’s imperative that you only hire qualified, experienced and professional roofing contractors since they are already skilled in this field and they know how to practice the safest precautionary measures, not to mention they are all licensed and bonded, making you not liable for any misfortunate accidents that might take place during the entire roofing installation or repair process.
If your residential roofing has asphalt shingles, of the most certain signs of a damaged or aging roof is seeing piles of granules collected inside the gutters of your residential roofing. These colored mineral granules serve as a coat on the surface of your asphalt roofing shingles, which help in protecting the shingles from the harmful rays of the sun as well as hail damage. As the roofing shingles age, these granules tend to loosen the are being washed into your roofing’s gutters.
In addition to that, knowing the exact age of your existing residential roofing system gives you heads up when it comes to knowing if it already needs a replacement or repair. The overwhelming majority of roofing systems nowadays, especially for residential properties, are asphalt roofing shingles that generally have a life span of about twenty years. Generally, asphalt roofing shingles perform much better in places with cooler weather. But, in some places that have warmer climates like in southern regions, the lifespan of asphalt roofing shingles might be as little as ten to twelve years. Other kinds of roofing, like metal and wood shingle, actually have much longer life spans
Tearing Off Your Old Roofing
When the time has come to replace your roofing system, you will need to come up with a decision whether you want to tear off your old roofing or not. One layer of existing asphalt roofing shingles that is still in good condition can actually be roofed over once. However, an existing second layer, as well as other types of materials in your roofing system, should be removed prior to the installation of your new roofing. You can expect to pay at least one dollar to three dollars per square foot in order to tear off as well as dispose of your old roof, depending on the steepness and complexity of your roofing. But, in order to make sure that the job will be done the first time around, make sure that you only hire a professional and dependable roofing service provider in your area.