Top 5 Asphalt Shingle Roof Repairs That Will Save You Money
If you’re like most homeowners, you don’t relish the idea of climbing on your roof regularly and checking for areas that need repair. But if you could avoid shelling out the average $12,000 it costs to install a brand-new roof, wouldn’t you be willing to do what you could to keep your roof in good shape?
Making roof repairs before they turn into big problems can greatly extend the life of your asphalt shingle roof. You don’t even have to be the one climbing all around your roof; hiring a residential roofing expert to inspect your roof annually and make any needed repairs can extend the life of the roof to the maximum of 25 years that’s usually warrantied by shingle manufacturers — sometimes even longer. Here are five things a professional can do to help your roof last.
1. Check for shingle damage or missing shingles.
If a damaged shingle isn’t replaced immediately, it opens up your roof to the risk of getting water damage and rot in the roof’s underlayment and deck. This can lead to a full roof replacement before you would otherwise need to.
One of the most common reasons to lose shingles is to winter storms and wind damage. But having your roofing contractor check after a particularly bad storm and install replacement shingles within a short period of time can help your roof stay intact and leak-free, so it’s worth paying for the inspection. Check with your homeowner’s insurance company to see if storm damage is covered under your policy.
2. Find any loose flashing.
Flashing is the metal barrier used around roof edges, such as where a wall intersects the roof or a hole has been cut for a vent, chimney, or skylight. These metal pieces can slip or simply become unglued over time.
Recaulking or resealing is sometimes an option, but in most cases, the flashing will need to be replaced in order to provide a permanent stop against leaks.
3. Locate nail pops and reattach before shingle loss occurs.
Raised shingles are usually a sign of a roofing nail popping up. They can be caused over time as weather extremes force your roofing materials to expand and contract, and it’s fairly common to have a few. Have your contractor nail them back down again to avoid leaks.
If you have many nail pops on your roof, it could be because your original roofer used nails that were too short or the nails were hammered into wood that was not secure enough to hold them. If the roof was installed recently, talk to the company about making it right. If not, or if you don’t want to work with that company any longer, we can check for any damage that’s resulted and make repairs before reattaching the shingles properly.
4. Look for loose ridge vents.
Ridge vents are the pieces that go over the tops of roof joints, where two slopes come together. While these pieces are also covered with protective asphalt shingles, they can come loose from the roof deck and allow water to get inside. Weather, time, and sometimes animals like squirrels can cause ridge vents to come up. Reattaching and sealing them properly is key to keeping your roof well-maintained.
5. Make sure water is not leaking between your home and your gutters.
If the lower edge of your roof is not extending beyond the fascia board, water might not be making it into your gutters. And if your gutters aren’t funneling water away from your roof, it could be sitting and causing damage, including mold, mildew, and rot. Or, it could be leaking down onto your siding, causing staining and damage.
Your roof repair professional can install what’s called a drip edge or drip cap, a flat strip of sheet metal that lies under the first row of roof shingles and extends slightly into the gutter. This protects the wood from getting wet and routes rainwater to the gutter system and away from your home.
If you have any questions about your roof and its condition, contact us for an inspection. We can let you know what repairs will help extend the life of your asphalt shingle roof.
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