As a homeowner, one of your jobs is to make sure your roof is in decent-great shape. If you are looking to SELL your home, this is vitally important, as most home buyers will request that the roof be replaced, if it is not in great shape.
Here are 5 tips for maintaining the roof of your home:
1. Know which type of roof you have.
Most homes in El Paso County (Colorado Springs, Fountain, Monument) have an asphalt/composite shingle roof. However, you will find that some new higher-end homes and some patio homes will have tile roofs, and some homes that were built in the 1970's and 1980's may have a wood shingle roof.
2. Hail storms can damage roofs. Duh.
Spring (and even summer) can bring massive hail storms to Colorado Springs. Sometimes the hail can get to be the size of a quarter or even larger! After a major hail storm, you may want to have a reputable roofer come out and determine if any damage was caused by the hail. If there was damage, chances are your homeowners insurance will cover most of the repair or replacement of your roof.
3. Too many layers of shingles are bad.
In most cases, only 2 layers of roof shingles are acceptable. Once a roof needs more than that, the whole roof will need to be stripped down and re-shingled. This is a MUCH larger cost. However, when a home buyer hires an inspector to inspect a home El Paso County, and there are more than 2 layers of roof ... chances are the homeowner/seller will have to do a complete "tear-down" and re-shingle the home to meet the local building codes before the home will "pass" inspection.
4. Skylights are potential roof problems
Improperly installed or old skylights are a hotbed for roof issues. In many instances where there is a leak or other issues on a roof that has a skylight, it is the skylight that is causing the issues. Usually it is the perimeter of the skylight that is the culprit. If you are looking to install a skylight to brighten up a room, HIRE A PROFESSIONAL so you can be certain that it is done correctly.
5. Roofs need to breathe.
Proper ventilation is essential for a healthy roof and a healthy house. Not only can proper ventilation keep your Colorado Springs home cooler in the summer, it can help prevent the build up of moisture and damaging fungus, mildew and toxic mold.
If you are unsure as to the quality of your roof, contact a professional roofer. They can evaluate your roof and determine what, if any, preventative measures can be taken, or if you will need a new roof.
Other resources for maintaining the roof on your Colorado Springs home:
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Clients Choice Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate, Monument Real Estate,
Custom Home Builders in Colorado Springs and Springs Urban Life.
(719) 434-7525
"May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out."
~ Irish Toast
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Advocates for Consumer Empowerment in Real Estate. Real Estate Brokers for Colorado Springs & Monument, Colorado. We love where we live & we love what we do. ColoradoSpringsRealEstateConnection.com
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Excellent advice for buyers and sellers, Mariana. Sounds like someone who has had some experience with bad roofing. The fun we used to have in bsoton (and maybe you do too) are the ice dams from the gutters that back up and cause all kind of problems with the shingles, leaks, etc.
Flat roofing is also a particular headache and needs to be checked regularly.
Jeff
Mariana, your on target. Here in the south we also have flat roofs. I will not ever buy one the annual maintenance is not worth it. A pitch roof are the best. Here the practice is to strip the roof if you need replacing. Great Post.
Mariana - excellent information - we see roofs as the biggest issue getting a house sold (next to appraisals) today. Thanks for the excellent resources too.
Mariana: Great post and good job at explaining roofs in the city.