Your house’s roof is not solely designed for functionality. It also provides aesthetic appeal to your home. In fact, according to Better Homes and Gardens, your roof makes up 40% of your property’s visible exterior. Therefore, it’s a must to keep it looking attractive. However, harsh weather conditions and natural elements can take a toll on your roof, making it inevitable for damages to occur over time. These damages eventually affect the appearance and efficiency of your roof.
If you want to treat your roofing network to a facelift, here are several tips to consider:
Have your roof inspected
Of course, before a doctor treats a patient, a check-up, followed by a diagnosis, is needed. The same applies to your roof remodeling. Before you act it out, you must determine which areas need to be improved, repaired, or replaced.
Using binoculars, check for any missing, curling, and cracked shingles. In case that you have roofing composed of asphalt shingles, try looking for spots with inadequate granular covering. Next, look out for problems in the inside by going to your attic space and using a flashlight to check for water stains, as these are critical indicators of leak issues.
Comply with municipality codes
Legal compliance is indispensable for any remodeling project. Check your municipality’s regulations on the number of allowed times for homeowners to re-cover existing roofing with an additional layer of the same type of materials. There are particular communities that only allow this to be done twice, and anything beyond that requires removal of the first layer before installing another.
Find a qualified contractor
When looking for a reliable roofing contractor, ask for an address, as the team must have a permanent business location. Moreover, they should have a valid phone number, tax ID number, and if the state or city requires a license. You should also ask them to provide proof of laborers’ compensation and liability insurance, so you can save yourself from undesirable repercussions in the event of on-site accidents.
Choose synthetic materials
Materials such as redwood, cedar, and thatch may look beautiful, but they are highly flammable. Therefore, it’s smarter to opt for a synthetic underlayment that also delivers commendable visual appeal.
Polyurethane alternatives are designed with enhanced strength and moisture resistance. Thus, not only do they last longer, but there’s also decreased risks of your home being invaded by moisture when the shingles are blown off or damaged during a storm. Other synthetic materials that offer a lot of benefits are ASA, polycarbonates, fiberglass, and PVC. To add, synthetic panels are flatter and thinner, so the finished look is more refined and polished.
Another great substitute is corrugated plastic roofing sheets, which boast of superior thermal insulation, high resistance to impact and temperature fluctuations, and improved durability due to its ultraviolet protection and anti-scratch coating. Moreover, these sheets are easy to cut and install, inexpensive to maintain, offer better optical properties, and available in a wide variety of colors.
Consider the design
The overall look should be one of your biggest considerations. Take a photo of your entire house so you can have aid for visualizing the appearance of the roof design that suits your house.
If you live in a bungalow, a Japanese-style roof with two monopitch sections is a great choice. Another good but costly option for bungalows is a Bauhaus roofing, which consists of a spacious roof terrace that’s ideal for outdoor entertaining. Accordingly, if your house is a traditional Victorian, fairytale-like roofing with spherical segments will be fitting.
Don’t forget to ask your roofing contractor for a detailed proposal for your roof remodeling project. It’s also beneficial to consult your contractor for professional advice regarding the selection of appropriate materials and design.
