Do You Need a New Roof?

If your home needs a new roof, there are materials you can buy and apply right over the current tiles and shingles, much like a type of thick coating of paint. This material will seep into cracks and holes in the roof and fill them in, providing you with a new roofing surface. While this job seems very simple and easy for any homeowner, there are some reasons why you should leave any reroofing to a professional, rather than attempt it on your own. Note a few of those important reasons here.

Ventilation

Your home's roof is not completely sealed and will actually have ventilation shafts or other such openings; these are needed to allow humidity to escape the home and to allow for fresh air circulation. If you don't know how to properly work around these vents or inspect them for damage and needed repair, this can mean sealing up the roof and not having proper air circulation. To ensure that you don't cover any vent portals or other such pieces with your reroofing job, leave it to a professional.

Damage to the roof

Coatings can be applied if there is minimal damage to a roof, but these materials won't cover all cracks and holes. If you don't know how to inspect the roof and just assume that a coating can fix those leaks, this can mean water damage and subsequent mould along the home's framework. A roofer will know how to evaluate the damage to your current roof and will know what reroofing materials will work best and when your home actually needs a roof tear-off and replacement.

Inspection and building codes

Any type of job around the house that needs to be done according to local building codes should be left to a professional, and this includes roof repair. If you use the wrong materials, add too many layers of materials, or otherwise make a mistake that would keep your roof from passing inspection, you may face fines from your local inspection office.

Also, your homeowner's insurance may not reimburse you for any damages that are the result of, or that are in any way affected by, your work on the roof. If your home should suffer water damage or mould growth, or if the roof itself should get damaged during a storm, the work you did on the roof may be reason enough for them to refuse your claim. To ensure your home always passes any inspection and that your insurance policy is always properly enforced, leave this work to a roofer.