Do You Need a New Roof?

Having your roof replaced is costly and stressful. Here are a few tips which should help you to keep your roof in great condition for many years to come:

Take care of the roof frame

The condition of a roof frame plays a key role in a roof system's lifespan. If the frame deteriorates, the roof shingles will start to sag and the entire system will eventually fail, resulting in leaks and structural problems.

Most roof systems feature timber frames. Whilst timber a is highly versatile, robust and affordable building material, it is not indestructible and may start to deteriorate if exposed to certain environmental conditions or specific kinds of pests.

As such, if the frame of your roof is made from timber, you should get into the habit of going into your loft and examining it on a regular basis, so that you can then address any problems you discover long before they begin to affect the structural integrity of the roof.

During your inspections, you should check for rodent and termite damage (rats and mice will leave bite marks on the edges of the beams and joists, whilst termites will leave behind tiny holes).

You should also watch out for indications of wet rot, a fungus which can destroy timber if it is not discovered and resolved promptly. If the timber has developed this problem, it will feel brittle to the touch and may have several cracks and dark patches across its surface. There may also be a very potent musty odour.

Hire a professional to maintain your roof system

Some homeowners rarely, if ever, hire roofers to perform maintenance work on their roofs. This is a mistake which often ends up costing them a huge amount of money, as a poorly-maintained roof system is far more likely to fail prematurely than one which is well cared for. The reason for this is that regular roof maintenance prevents minor defects from evolving into serious problems.

Let's say, for instance, that a couple of the shingles on your roof lose their protective granules. If your roofer carried out periodic maintenance work on your roof, this issue will be identified and addressed long before it causes any kind of irreparable damage.

However, if you decide not to bother having your roof tended to by a professional roofer, and these damaged shingles go unnoticed for several months, your roof could end up sustaining major damage. Shingles that have lost their granular layer are more likely to allow rainwater to seep through into the timber framework. If this exposure to moisture is not spotted and resolved quickly, it can lead to the timber rotting which, as explained earlier, can affect the structural soundness of the entire roof system.

As such, you should try to view roof maintenance as an investment that will extend the lifespan of your roof and thus spare you the expense of having to replace it prematurely.