Roof Replacement and Repair

If you are a home owner you know the how important it is to keep your roof in a good condition. It is not only important for the value of your home but also for the safety of your family. If you have a roof that has holes or has damaged or missing shingles you can not only cause damage to the inside of your home but can also invite unwanted guests such as animals or rodents into your home. Water damage can come from roofs that have leaks.

Cost To Replace Roof

Roofs are easy but can be costly to replace or repair. Many times you will need a contractor or professional that specializes in repairing or replacing roofs, this is especially true if you have a specialized or custom type of roof; like one with tile shingles.

Roofs with asphalt shingles are traditionally what homes have on them. They are durable but they do occasionally get damaged or will eventually need to be replaced. The typical life of asphalt shingles is 20 years. For those that are not familiar with the terminology used for roof structure here are a few
terms that you will need to know:

• A square is what is accounted for to cover 100 square feet; so 6 square is 1600 square feet.
• To roof over or re-roof means to place more asphalt shingles over existing asphalt shingles.
• One of the materials that is used on roof is called flashing. Flashing is a metal and is used on different areas of the roof and around plumbing vents.
• The drip-edge is a metal strip that is used to ensure that water is moved to the edge and over the roof or into a gutter.
• There are several “parts” or areas to the roof such as the slope or the angle that the roof is built on.
• The rake is the edge of the roof that hangs over the side wall of the home.
• The eve is the overhang or lower edge of the roof.

One of the first steps you will need to take when determining if you need to replace your roof is to evaluate the repairs that need to be done. The sun can actually do damage to your roof. When you are evaluating your roof repair you will probably notice that the section that gets the most sun is the area that will need the most repair. There are other weather factors that can damage your roof as well such as tree limbs or hail and even strong winds.

The amount of damage can determine the type of repair that you will need to do to your roof. Roof-over repair can be done when the asphalt shingles are flat and still in good condition. The new shingles will be used in such a way as to add a second layer of shingles onto the roof. If your roof already has two layers of shingles or the existing shingles are in bad shape you will need to do a tear-off on your roof. This will include tearing off all roofing material down to the wood. If the wood is damaged it will need to be replaced as well. All flashing, roofing felt and other materials will be replaced with new materials.

The cost of roof replacement can vary for many different reasons. A tear-off is going to be more expensive than a roof over. The size of the roof or the roof’s intricacies will also determine the cost of the repair. This is not only due to the cost of the materials but also the cost of the labor that is involved in the repair.

Roof replacement can cost anywhere between several hundred to several thousand dollars. There are times when your homeowners insurance policy will help cover some of the cost of the repair. You can determine the cost by checking with your homeowner’s policy and make sure to get several offers from several different contractors before making you decision as the price differences can be substantial.