30 Oct Advice for New Homeowners: What You Need to Know About Roofs
Buying a home for the first time is extremely exciting for anyone. It doesn’t matter if this is your first home or 
your 9th home, you’re excited to move in and make the space yours. As you settle in, you’ll probably start tackling your home maintenance to-do list. Inevitably, your roof will end up on that list. But, before you get the ladder out and climb on top of your home, we have some advice for new homeowners on their roofs:
No matter how recently your roof was installed, it’s not going to last forever.
It’s inevitable, your roof will fail at some point. Your new home, if well maintained will last for years and years. If it’s of high quality, it might even last for generations. Your roof on the other hand, if it’s an asphalt shingle roof, simply doesn’t offer the same life expectancy. When shingle roofs are installed properly, they can last 15 to 20 years while maintaining their integrity. However, these numbers tend to fluctuate based on the weather and several other factors. Our advice for new homeowners: understand that at some point, you’ll need to replace the roof on your home.
Gutters, no matter where you live, will eventually need to be cleaned out.
Gutters aren’t just there to help water flow off of your roof and away from your home. They exist to keep your home safe. They help when it’s raining and they also help keep ice from damming on your roof. If they aren’t properly cleaned on a routine basis, gutters can cause major issues for your entire home. For one thing, water can pool on your roof, when the gutters are clogged, and seep down into your shingles. Our advice for new homeowners: make sure your gutters are cleaned out at least once a year.
Water spots on your ceilings are indicators of leaks in your roof.
There might be a few places in your new home where you can see water spots. You might be thinking a fresh coat of paint and you’ll be good to go. However, those spots aren’t just discoloration. They are visible signs of roof leaks. These leaks could be happening for multiple reasons. Your first thought might be a hole, and it very well could be, but more than likely, it’s the result of something like flashing not being properly installed. Our advice for homeowners: know that leaks can come from a handful of areas, not just holes.
Roof repair may seem like easy work, but you should leave it to the pros.
As you settle into your new home, you might start compiling a to-do list and include your roof. The thing is, though, roofs are extremely complicated systems. There are multiple intricate parts to every roof. Rather than you climbing up on top of your home and trying to do the repair work yourself, you’re much better off leaving the work to a professional roofing contractor.
If you need help with your new home, the team at Hoosier Contractors would be happy to visit your home and provide a no obligation roof inspection. We’ll provide you with the information you need to know about your roof to keep its integrity intact. Contact us today to schedule your inspection.