Telltale Signs That You Are Ready For A New Roof
Roofers In Calgary | Making this determination is highly dependent on the type of asphalt product that you currently have on your roof. One initial sign that your roof is in a state of disrepair is that you will see your shingles begin to start curling upwards. An excessive loss of granules into your home’s eavestroughs may also indicate the integrity of your shingles is being stretched far beyond their limit.
A common roofing product that was used heavily before discontinuation in 2008 was the Organic Mat Shingle. Often referred to as 3-tab shingles. This shingle type was really something of a lesser quality compared to the Fibreglass Mat Shingles which are predominantly in use today.
The older Organic Mat Shingle could be described as a very thick piece of paper dipped in tar and bitumen. Which, if you were to wet a piece of paper and throw it up onto your roof this summer, into the hot Calgary sun. The heat from the sun would eventually bake the piece of paper, causing it to curl.
Modern Fibreglass Mat Shingles have a fibreglass base, so when the shingles lose enough granules the fibreglass mat beneath will give off a shine when exposed to the sun. Waiting this long before having a roof diagnosis, however, might not be the best mode of approach to understanding the condition of your roof.
Roof leaks are another potential indication of a roof that has had its integrity seriously compromised. When shingles have deteriorated to the extent where you begin to see them curling, your roof is in grave danger, as it is now entirely exposed to the elements.
If there is no underlayment beneath your shingles there is now the issue of having bare plywood exposed. Which, in time, will eventually cause rotting issues to the roof deck of the home. Potentially costing you tens of thousands more to fix than a general re-roof would.
Leaving snow, water, and rain to bombard your home’s roof without proper protection can lead to roof leaks that may persist over a long period before they are even noticed. If your home’s vapour barrier has been done properly, the issue might not appear on the interior of the home for years. Which can ultimately cause structural damage to important components such as the roof deck, framing, and roof trusses. Which will eventually lead to mould and rotting issues down the road.
When Should You Be Replacing Your Shingles?
Knowing when to replace your shingles can be just as important as knowing when they have thoroughly deteriorated. To help establish a time frame for replacement. You have to know the three types of roofing shingles that Calgary Roofers are currently using today.
These shingle types are:
Builder Grade: Commonly put up when a new home is being built. This shingle type is the cheapest for building companies to buy and typically has an average lifespan of 15-20 years.
Medium Grade: Of a higher quality, you may see these types on an older home that has recently been re-roofed. After 20-25 years these shingle types should be professionally inspected.
High Grade: Often referred to as Luxury Shingles. These shingles are made from a blend of asphalt and other materials which makes them three times heavier than other options available. Allowing them to withstand higher winds and harsher weather. After 20-25 years these shingles should also be professionally inspected.
The Leading Cause Of Roof Deterioration
Believe it or not, the leading cause of roof deterioration arises from improper ventilation. Especially on detached garages. Hot air from the summer sun seeps into garage spaces and with nowhere for the intake air to vent out of the garage, the hot air rises, eventually baking the roof over time. Which leads to a quicker time frame of deterioration for the shingles on your garage.
Roof Damage: Not Always Seen By The Untrained Eye
Roof flashing can be a weak point on your home’s roof. Flashing: this is a thin metal material that is used to direct water away from high-v areas of a roof. Flashing is typically used around vents and skylights. In addition, flashing is also used in areas where the roof meets vertical areas such as walls or chimneys.
Birds will often pick the rubber membrane around roof flashing which is something you wouldn’t be able to see unless you have an eye for it. And, if you are up on the roof taking a close inspection of the roof’s components.
Roofing Inspections: When Should You Get One?
Getting a professional roof inspection done is a must for Calgary homeowners. Lion Heart Roofing & Repairs recommends having your roof inspected every 10-15 years. Lion Heart Roofing & Repairs provides formal Roofing Calgary inspection reports that you can bring to your insurance company for as little as $150. If you are a concerned homeowner looking for an informal Calgary Roofer inspection with no paperwork associated, the Lion Heart team will inspect your roof for free.
When Will Repairs Suffice?
Younger roofs are usually the best bet if the shingles surrounding a problem area are in relatively good shape. The Calgary Roofers will have no problem tying into those shingles and fixing the problem. When the shingles are old and brittle, more damage can be caused as a result of trying to fix the roof. Leaving homeowners with no choice but to have to redo the entire roof of the home if the damages are unfixable.
Another situation where repairs can be completed is if it is a concentrated issue, such as fixing the flashing around the chimney area. In most cases, a simple re-flash of the chimney can be properly carried out and the problem is solved.
Manufacturer’s warranty
If you happen to see excessive wear of your shingles before the 10-15 year mark this could be the result of a manufacturing defect. Manufacturing defects happen when something gets missed in the manufacturing process. Such as the improper mixing of bitumen, lack of adhesives, and so forth. In this case, a formal roofing inspection would be required to prove there was a manufacturing defect. And the manufacturer’s warranty would come into play.
Outside insights
Repairing the roof of a home is often at the top of concerned property owners’ priority lists. As should the building envelope of the property. We spoke to a local building envelope expert Marc Sharkey, owner of Dynamic Stucco Repair & Painting to find out what exactly a building envelope is, and how it ties into your home’s roof.
Here is what Marc had to say:
“Your building envelope is your first line of protection for keeping the water deterred from your home. We really can’t keep any house waterproofed, because then we would be trapping water. What we are trying to do is deter water away from the home and let it breath from the inside out.”
“Your roof is going to have an overhang and what that is going to do is, allow it to drop over the cladding or facial facade on the front of the home. Usually this consists of a material such as vinyl siding, which has a building envelope behind it on the sheathing side of the wall.
So as long as it’s going to the front or exterior of the home, moisture can’t penetrate from the outside in. This makes the building envelope a great line of defence as well as having eavestroughs, downspouts, drainage, and weeping tile systems which all divert water away from the home.”
We also asked Marc if the roof of a home is damaged, what problems could arise for a property’s building envelope?
“Anything on a roof that is damaged can allow water to leak into the attic, and through the rest of the house. Which can get behind the building envelope as well, behind the stucco, siding, Hardie, any other products that are there can trap that moisture into the walls. Your roof is definitely one of your first points of defence for water deterring.
You can even get mould, mildew, and a lot of other problems that can even condemn your home”
Roofers In Calgary | Conclusion
If you suspect your roof may require professional attention it is better to have any potential issues seen to sooner than later. A professional roofing inspection can potentially save homeowners tens of thousands of dollars. The longer a problem area of a roof is left, the more potential there is for additional cost-heavy damages to occur.
Lion Heart Roofing is a local roofing company in Calgary that takes immense pride in their work. The Roofers In Calgary at Lion Heart Roofing offer a 10-year workmanship warranty on all of their roof replacements. Within 5 years of having a roof replacement from the company, the friendly team will provide you with a complimentary roofing inspection at no cost to you.
If any issues arise before the 10-year workmanship warranty period is over, the company will come to your home and fix any roofing issues completely free of charge.
Now that is quality assurance from a company who cares.