If you own a home, what falls in fall could cost you.
In my own completely unscientific poll, one of is the roof. You can’t see it easily; it’s somewhat technical; it’s expensive to replace; and neglecting it, especially at this time of the year, can lead to other expensive damage to your house.
But as some Zen master somewhere once said, embrace your fears. No matter how old your roof is, knowing what kind of shape it’s in is better than not knowing, because you can do necessary repairs and heave a sigh of relief, or just bite the bullet and fix what’s broken. So pick up the phone and get somebody up there.
We posed a few essential roof-maintenance questions via e-mail to Jim Gustin, senior property specialist with insurance company Travelers. (There are at Travelers.com/prepare-prevent.)
Q: What are the most important three things a homeowner can do to help avoid costly roof repairs?
A: First, make sure the roof is inspected regularly for maintenance issues that could make it more susceptible to hail and other damage, including surface bubbles on flat roofs or missing or damaged shingles or tiles on sloped roofs. If shingles do appear damaged or there is bubbling, replace damaged shingles and repair bubbles to help lessen the damage that weather elements may cause. That will also help lessen the cost of having to make many repairs at one time.
Additionally, checking the flashing on the roof to make sure it is secure can help prevent water penetration (flashing is metal strips that direct the flow of water or snowmelt around on the roof). Lastly, it may sound trivial, but trimming trees and removing dead branches from around the home is an important step in fall maintenance. It can help ensure that they will not damage the home or injure someone if they fall.
Q: Gutters, downspouts, roofs. The first two are usually provided by one kind of contractor and the other by a completely different one. Is this a problem? How can homeowners deal with this?
A: Having materials provided by more than one contractor should not be a problem as long as they know which products are best suited for the home and take each other’s work and materials into account.
For example, there may be some gutters and downspouts which are better suited for particular types of roofs, and that is important to consider when purchasing. Homeowners can help ensure that the right materials and work is done by asking the right questions and staying connected with their contractors throughout the installation process. We recommend that homeowners check to ensure that a contractor is licensed and insured, and it is also a good idea to check some references, if possible.
Q: I’ve been told that having actually extend the life of a roof. Is that true? If so, by how much?
A: Having adequate attic insulation and venting is certainly important to maintain the life of a roof. One can be ice dams, which are caused by ice that can form when water from melting snow re-freezes at the edge of the roofline and in gutters. When you see homes with massive icicles hanging from their roof, chances are they have an ice dam.
Adding extra insulation in the attic will help guard against ice dams because it will help It may also be helpful to check and seal places where warm air could leak from your house to the attic, including vent pipes, exhaust fans, chimneys, attic hatches and light fixtures.
Q: So, say you’re putting on a new roof. What are the best values in new roofing materials from an insurance perspective?
A: If you live in a hail-prone area, you may want to consider impact-resistant roofing material, as it is designed to stand up better to hail storms. It is also important that old roof covering be completely removed before the new roof is installed.
Susan Clotfelter: 303-954-1078, sclotfelter@denverpost.com or twitter.com/susandigsin
