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How often should I have my roof inspected

A roof protects a home from the elements. If a roof has damage, it can lead to significant problems such as leaking, corrosion, mold growth, and structural issues. A roof inspection can give a building owner peace of mind.

So how often should a homeowner have a roof inspection?

Frequent inspections may be a waste of money, but too long a time in between roof checks could mean missing early warning signs and having to deal with more expensive fixes later.

Here are the variables that you need to consider when deciding how often to hire a professional to inspect the roof.

After a weather event

Hailstorms may cause roof damage, as can storms that produce high winds. In colder climates, you may wish to have a roof inspection if there was significant snow and ice buildup during the winter.

If something such as a large tree branch struck the roof, as the result of a storm or because it just fell, you may want to have an inspection as well.

Can I look at my roof myself?

If you can safely do so, you can inspect the roof by yourself. You can do this during the spring and fall and look for missing shingles, shingles that curl around the edges, or shingles that are out of place. You should also look for moss or fungus growth or structural sagging. If you have a one-floor home, you may be able to see the roof from the ground. You may also want to look in the gutters for significant amounts of shingle granules, which could signal a problem.

What does the roofing industry recommend?

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recommends inspecting the roof during the spring and fall. Expert contractor Bob Vila recommends a fall inspection because it will let you make repairs before winter when ice buildup can amplify any damage and make springtime repairs more expensive.

You can schedule a roof inspection at the same time as another vital top-of-house maintenance task: gutter cleaning. Properly functioning gutters can help you avoid moisture problems and ice buildup.

Does the age of your roof matter?

The lifespan of a shingle is between 20 and 25 years, so if your roof is two decades old, you will want to have professional inspections regularly. If you experience a storm with hail or high winds, you should get a roof inspection even if you have a brand new roof.

Regular inspections can help decrease maintenance costs because they will allow a homeowner to deal with problems before they become expensive repairs.

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Options for Protecting Your Roof

Replacing or repairing your roof can be an expensive proposition. It can be tempting to choose a lower grade roofing material to reduce the overall cost of replacing or repairing the roof. But don’t fall into this trap. After all, the roof is your first, and final line of defense against the elements from the top.

Quality Roofing Products Are An Investment

There are several options to choose from when it comes to a long-lasting roof. Asphalt shingles, slate shingles, and Spanish style clay-roofs are all popular and durable choices. Depending on the exterior color of the house, even the architectural style and, of course, the budget, you can choose from any of these materials to ensure a long-lasting roof.

Regardless of the quality of roofing material used, it is important to maintain the roof regularly to ensure any damage is spotted and repaired early.

Asphalt Shingles

There are different types of asphalt shingles to choose from. These vary in looks, quality as well as price. However, there is one thing common among all asphalt shingles. They are all long-lasting and may go for anywhere between fifteen and thirty years, depending on the climate, quality, and maintenance. If you live in a high-humidity region, asphalt shingles with algicide can improve the life of your roof by years.

Asphalt shingles come in a few different varieties, like Architectural or Dimensional shingles or Composition or 3 Tab shingles.

At about $100 to $150 per square, asphalt shingles are an affordable solution for a durable roof.

Spanish-Style Clay Roofs

Clay is another roofing material that has been around forever. Again, for good reason. Clay tiles come in a wide range of colors and can complement any exterior house colors. Then there’s the durability factor. A well-maintained clay roof can last for up to a hundred years.

Spanish style clay roofs are relatively more expensive than asphalt shingles, but they offer a great middle ground for price and longevity when compared to asphalt and slate roofs.

Slate Roofs

Slate is one of the oldest roofing material that is still in use. And with good reason. When installed properly, slate roofs can last for as long as seventy-five years and with proper

maintenance can survive for up to a hundred and fifty years! An important point to note with regard to slate roofs is that they are also very expensive. But if you have the budget, this is a fool-proof option.

In addition to being extremely long-lasting, slate roofs are also fire-resistant.

If you are wondering why slate is not the only roofing material used given its long life, the answer lies in the price. For comparison, consider this: if an asphalt shingle costs around $100-$150 per square, the cost of natural slate can be anywhere from $800 to $1,600 per square.

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