Whether you are about to buy a new home or your current home needs a roof replacement, how do you spot a good quality roof? It’s essential to know because problems with a home’s roof can trickle down through the attic and into the ceiling of its second level and, if left unaddressed, can require costly repairs.
Check out your home’s roof and any property you’re considering purchasing. Why? Because a home’s roof is essential: it safeguards your most significant investment from severe storms, moisture, extreme temperatures, and more.
3 Features You’ll Find in the Ideal Roof for Your Home
1. Protection
A well-built and well-maintained roof delivers decades of protection for your home. Quality roofing materials such as asphalt shingles, standing seam metal roofing, slate, and wood shakes defend your home from moisture intrusion, high winds, harsh ultraviolet rays, and fire.
- Fire-resistant slate and metal roofing give you peace of mind that your possessions and loved ones are well protected. And you can rest at ease with flame-retardant asphalt shingles with a Class A fire rating.
- Moisture-resistant slate roofing endures prolonged water exposure while efficiently safeguarding your home. Metal roofing is super resistant to water intrusion, and asphalt shingles efficiently drain water.
- Strong roofing materials like metal and slate are durable and reliable regardless of the weather. Asphalt shingle products such as GAF’s Timberline ArmorShield deliver exceptional resistance to hail’s impact.
2. Energy efficiency
You can spot a good roof by looking at your home’s utility bills (or the utility charges of the home you’re buying). A good roof keeps your energy costs down, lowering monthly bills, particularly during the heat of Indy’s summers and the chill of our winters.
When a good quality roof insulates your home well, it keeps outside air from impacting your property’s indoor temperatures. Your space will be more comfortable year-round with an energy-efficient roof, making it cozier each winter, while cooler and more refreshing each summer.
3. Great looks
One of the easiest ways to spot a good roof is to note how its design and color add to your property’s overall looks. Your roof’s design element should complement the rest of the exterior. Sleek metal roofing adds a modern flair, while asphalt offers a more traditional appearance. Wood shakes speak of classic charm, and slate adds luxurious beauty that is tough to rival.
How to Evaluate the Roof of a Home You Want to Buy
1. Ask how old it is
The age of your new home’s roof will give you a good idea of how long you have until it needs to be replaced. If asphalt shingles are well maintained, they last between 20 and 30 years. Metal roofing lasts up to 50 years. Know the roof’s lifespan and how many years it has left before buying a home.
2. Inspect the roof from the ground
Get some binoculars and step away from the roof to look for things like cracked shingles, missing shingles, bulging shingles, and curly edges.
3. Take a peek inside the attic
Your new home’s attic will have several clues about the roof’s condition. Is there evidence of roof leaks in the attic? Does the insulation look moist? How about the wood? Is it rotting due to moisture exposure? That’s a clue that the roof needs to be replaced or repaired.
4. Ask about the roof’s ventilation system
Roof ventilation helps air flow through the attic space and escape through your roof vents. Adequately installed roof vents keep your roof from overheating and keep condensation from developing. When a roof overheats, it leads to damage, decreasing its lifespan or creating the need for repairs.
5. Look for asphalt shingle granules in places they don’t belong
If your new home has asphalt shingles, look at what drains out of the downspout after a storm. If shingle granules are dumped out of it, your shingles are weakening.
Get a Stylish Roof that Sets Your Indy Area Home Apart!
At Craftsman Exterior Remodeling, we offer the perfect blend of pro guidance, precision installation, and stellar customer service to ensure your new roof delights you for many years. Choose from:
- Stylish and affordable asphalt shingles
- Elegant and long-lasting standing seam metal roofing
- Luxurious looking slate
- Traditional and classic wood shakes
Learn more about our roofing services.
