Owens Corning Urges Homeowners Protect Their #1 Investment with Spring Roof Checks
A roof is the main thing protecting most American’s single largest financial investment… their homes. Yet, according to a recent national study, in the past 3 years, close to 70% of homeowners rarely, if ever, have looked at their roof or hired a professional to do it in advance of the seasons that typically bring damaging weather.
Understanding the importance of checking their roofs and knowing the basics of roof maintenance and damage can help make ensure homeowners are better prepared for the upcoming weather and won’t leave them open to being taken advantage of by scammers.
Here are a few simple things you can do to tell if your roof is in good shape or if you should have a professional out to check for the upcoming seasonal weather… just remember this simple acronym:
WIN
- Walk the Attic,
- Inspect Your Ceilings
- Note Outside Changes
1. WALK THE ATTIC
Often, early warning signs of current or future roof problems are visible in your attic long before they become apparent from the inside or the outside.
- On a sunny day, go into your attic or crawl space and turn off the lights
- Look for daylight coming from around any of the roof penetrations (e.g. chimney, soil pipe, vents, etc.)
- Look for daylight coming from the soffits (proper airflow)
- Turn the lights back on and:
- Check for any signs of moisture or staining on the underside wood of your roof including mold
- Make sure you see the nails penetrating the wood regularly across the entire inside of your roof
2. INSPECT YOUR CEILINGS
The first and simplest check that you likely do without even noticing it, is to occasionally check the ceilings in the rooms on the highest level of your home.
- Check for staining or discoloration on the ceilings of these rooms and hallways, especially during or after heavy precipitation
- If you have a stain that continues to get larger or if you have regular water dripping, call a professional immediately.
3. NOTE OUTSIDE CHANGES
At the start of each new season, you should do an external visual inspection of your roof from the ground.
- If you are comfortable being safe while walking on your roof, a close-up inspection is good to do once a year. IMPORTANT: If you are uncomfortable, inexperienced or have any doubts about your or your spouse’s ability to do this safely, you should not try this and should call a professional roofing contractor instead!
- Things to look for include:
- Curling, blistering, damaged or missing shingles
- Missing granules including circular shapes
- Sagging shingle rows
- Moss or discoloration
- Shiny shingles
- Walk the roof and take note of any ‘give’ or soft spots
- Be on the lookout for irregular granule loss or blistering or circular granule loss
- Take the opportunity to remove any branches or other large debris which could damage your roof… but do not use a rake or other harsh implement or tool that could damage the shingles.
FINDING A CONTRACTOR YOU CAN TRUST
The survey also found that more than half (54%) of consumers believe finding a contractor they could trust would be stressful and for three-quarters of Americans (75%) the single most important sign to know if one can be trusted was a certification by a national roofing manufacturer. To find a trustworthy local roofing contractor, remember:
- If someone says your entire roof needs to be replaced, but you are unsure, get a second opinion, especially on newer roofs
- Check to make sure any potential contractor is fully insured and make sure you get proof
- Make sure any potential contractor carries the right state & local licenses and has the local knowledge of codes and rules to make sure the job is done right
- Confirm any potential contractor is affiliated/certified by a trusted national roofing manufacturer
- Make sure any potential contractor has good standing with the Better Business Bureau.
Finding a reputable and reliable roofer may seem overwhelming, but homeowners can rest easy knowing they’ll be well-taken care of at United Home Experts. Our expert roofing teams have over 20 years of experience here in the northeast and can quickly help a homeowner determine the condition of their roof.
The point is, a homeowner need not feel as if he or she is all alone out there in the home improvement jungle – help is always available. For more information on roof repair, read our main roof replacement and repair page!
