1. Repair or Replace

Roofs protect us from the elements, which is great for us but tough on the roofs because they bare the brunt of the sun, snow, rain, wind, and whatever else may be coming down from the heavens. The affects of the elements cause roofs to wear out, so roofs need to be repaired and, eventually, replaced. There are many types of roofs, including tile, slate, wood shingle, and tar and gravel. Each type of roof will wear out in a number of unique ways, and time and space do not allow us to discuss each one. If you are planning on fixing or replacing your roof yourself, you need to become and expert at your type of roof, and ascertain which problems are worth repairing and which warrant replacing the roof. However, if you are like most people, you are depending on roofing professionals to diagnose the problem(s), and to help you decide if repair or replacement is the most sensible course of action. Regardless of the type of roof or materials you are evaluating, these three points of advice may help guide you through the proces

• Delays in making small repairs to your roof lead to larger repairs or replacement of your roof, and may cause damage elsewhere in your home. Don?t delay if you know or suspect your roof needs repairs.
• Don't replace your roof prematurely, when a minor repairs will likely extend the life of the roof by years.
• Don't make repeated, expensive repairs to a roof to delay buying a new roof.

Bottom Line: The trick is to take into account the age off your roof and evaluate its overall condition. Factor those data points against the present repairs your roof needs and what those repairs will cost. Then make your decision to repair or replace. If you would like to make a connection with a pre-screen roofing professional, click here and provide some simple contact information. You can get up to three opinions and price quotes from experienced roofing pros in your area.

2. Get Help or Do it Yourself?

As major do-it-yourself household projects go, roofing requires a medium-to-high level of expertise. Beyond the expertise required, it is physically demanding, repetitive work. Additionally, the work is often done at significant hieghts, poised at steep angles while maneuvering a pneumatic nail gun or hoisting buckets of hot tar. Hiring day labors to help is not wise because of the risks involved to them and related insurance issues. You can see that roof replacement is not the sort of home renovation project that appeals to everyone. For those who do take on this project, we hear that the sense of accomplishment from completing this major project can be tremendous, and is reinforeced every time the homeowner returns home and views his new roof.

• Read Splise's Roofing Replacement Buying Guide thoroughly, so you can be an active participant in the project
• Get three quote from qualified roofing professionals in your area.
• Make sure you discuss the brands and warranties of the materials to be used.
• Check the references the roofing professional who you plan to hire.

If you want to get started with the process of hiring a qualified professional to replace your roof, you can get up to three free quotes from pre-screened roofing professionals in your area by supplying some basic contact information to Quality Smith: (Click here to go to Quality Smith)

3. Slope

Slope is the angle of your roof, and it is important to take roof slope into account when considering your replacement options. If your roof slopes at four inches per foot or more, you'll need to install a shingle roof. If your roof slopes at three inches per foot or less, you'll need to install asphalt roll roofing or some other type of membrane roof.

4. Structure

There is a direct relationship between the structure of your roof rafters and struts and the weight of roofing material they can support. The weight of roofing materials varies greatly, from 40 pounds per square (10 feet x 10 feet) for aluminum to upwards of 1,200 pounds per square for some concrete or clay tiles. You'll need to either keep the weight of your new roof at or below the capabilities of your existing roof structure, or strengthen your frame if you really want to use heavier materials. The roofing professional you are working with should evaluate the structure of your roof before you finalize your materials selection and purchase.

5. Materials: Popular Asphalt

Asphalt shingles are, by far, the most popular roofing materials. 90% of all roofs in the United States are covered in asphalt. Asphalt roofing materials come in two basic forms (rolls and shingles), many different colors, a variety of shapes, and varying thicknesses.
Asphalt shingles are described as ?25 year? or ?30 year? shingles, and this refers to the length of time the shingles are covered by the manufacturer?s limited warrantee. Generally, the longer the warrantee an asphalt shingle has, the thicker and heavier the shingle will be.

• Basic Three-Tab Shingle
• No Cut Out Shingle
• Dimensional Shingles
• T-Lock or Interlocking Shingle
• Angle-Lap Shingle
• Specialty shingles imitating the appearance of cedar and slate roofing

Want to receive a free estimates for your roof project?

We have partnered with QualitySmith in order to allow our visitors to receive free, no obligation project quotes from qualified local contractors.  QualitySmith is a free, well regarded contractor referral service.

Click here to receive 3 free, no obligation quotes for your roof project.

6. Materials: Everything Else

The remaining 10% of the roofing market is divided among all the other alternatives. These roughly are split into traditional materials (like slate, clay tile, sheet metal, and wood shake) and new roofing alternatives (like solar energy shingles, high tech polymer membranes, spray on foam, and green/grass roofs). The motivation for purchasing traditional materials is generally to retain the original appearance and design integrity of an older home, or to give a newer home a very traditional design element. New roofing materials are generally purchased to conserve energy, generate energy, or to reduce costs.

7. Brands

There are many brands of roofing tiles. The brands manufacturers tend to specialize in shingles made from one type of material, for instance asphalt shingle, cedar shake, or clay tile. Each brand usually has a variety of colors and shapes of shingles made of that material. Click here to see our selection of Top Roof Shingle Brands

8. Local Building Codes and Ordinances

It is important that your roof replacement project conform to local building codes and ordinances. If you use a licensed roofing professional in your area, they will be aware of the local codes and ordinances. You can get up to three free quotes from pre-screened, roofing professionals in your area by providing some simple contact information: www.quinstreet.com.

9. Replace Roof with Same Material or Switch Material

When it is time to replace your roof, one of the first decisions you'll have to make is whether your new roof with be built of the same materials as your old roof, or if you're going to change materials. Use the X factors in this section to help you make that decision, but pay particular attention to Design/Appearance.

10. Cost/Economy

The cost of replacing the roof needs to include the costs associated with removing the old roof and the cost of materials and installation of the new roof. You should also factor in the life expectancy of the roof, the relative costs of anticipated repairs, and anticipated impact of the roof on your energy consumption.

11. Fire Retardance

Over the last 20 or 30 years since your old roof was installed, the emphasis on the safety of roofing materials has increased, particularly relating to fire hazards. This emphasis is particularly strong in communities prone to forest fires and wind fueled firestorms. If you are replacing a wood shingle or shake roof, you'll want to check the ordinances, and then consider either fire retardant shakes or shingles (chemically treated), or replacing your wood roof with another, less flammable, material.

12. Design/Appearance

The look of the roof is often an essential design element to the home. Wood shake and shingle, slate, and clay tiles are examples of roofing materials that can add a unique look to a home's overall appearance. If you need to replace a distinctive looking roof, think carefully about the impact of changing the materials will have on your home's appearance. If you do decide to change materials, explore your options for matching the appearance of your old materials with new materials. Asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material used today, and there are a number of shingle manufacturers that make asphalt shingle to have an appearance similar to or suggestive of shake, slate, or clay tiles. Many older homes had their shake, slate, or clay tile roofs replaced twenty or thirty years ago with plain asphalt shingle, by owners who may have had little sensitivity to preserving the original design and appearance of the home. A number of homeowners of these old homes are now replacing their shingle roofs with either the original material, or with a asphalt shingle that looks similar to the original material.

13. Warrantee and Durability

The designation "25 year" or "30 year" in connection with a roofing material indicates the length of the limited warrantee provided by the manufacturer. The length of these warrantees can vary by as much 30 years from one manufacturer and material to another, so be sure to factor this into your cost analysis. The warrantees are limited in their scope, so you should expect to do occasional repairs to the roof to keep it in good working order. Some materials, like wood shake, have a reputation for high maintenance. Other materials, like metal, have a reputation for very low maintenance. If you live in an area that is impacted heavily by a particular element, for instance wind, you may want to speak with a roofing specialist about using roofing materials and installation methods that would minimize the impact of that element on your home. You can get three free quotes from prescreened, roofing professional in your area by providing some basic information to Quality Smith: (Click here to go to Quality Smith)