Buying The Roof With The Home
When home shopping, it can be easy to get caught up in the sizzle of the sale. Look at that kitchen! Well, the sizzle is great and all, but you need some steak as well. The quality of the roof on a home definitely counts as steak.
Checking out a roof may seem a difficult thing to do, but it really is not. You are looking for both basic general information as well as specific potential problem areas. The key is to know what you are looking at and what it means.
The first subject to consider is the appropriateness of the roofing material for the geographic area. If you live in an area that is threatened by brush or forest fires, a wood shingle roof is not really a good choice. Even treated wood will burn if things get hot enough.
To this end, knowing the different types of roofs that exist, the expected life for each and the potential cost of replacing them is going to be vital when determining if the home is good value or not. At the end of the day, resale value is always a vital issue to keep in mind.
When discussing roofs, the wood shingle variety has to be mentioned first. It was the standard bearer for many years and can last up to 30 years. Most last well short of that, so it is important to know you can expect to pay $10,000 or so to replace them.
The metal roof is a tougher version of the wood roof. It should last 35 years or more depending on maintenance and its condition. The cost of replacing the roof is a bit more, however, in the eleven thousand dollar range.
The most popular roof these days tends to be the tile version. It can last 50 years or more so long as you replace broken tiles. It costs between thirteen and seventeen grand to replace, but is fire resistant and water does not decay it.
When inspecting the roof, look for missing or broken pieces. They should not exist on a home for sale. If you see them, it means water may have penetrated into the underlying materials which can mean rot, mold and decay.
Here is another secret tip. When looking at a wood shake roof, focus on the ends of the shingles. Do they turn up? If so, it means the roof is old and starting to fail. Why? The wood is warping. This is a critical failure that can lead to very costly repairs.
Another area to consider is the flashing. This is the material, usually metal, that creates a water tight seal between the roof and other surfaces. If it is rusted, you need a very thorough inspection done because water is probably getting into it.
Now we head into the attic. Walk the length of the attic and look for stains on the boards of the underside of the roof. If you see them, there is a leak that needs to be repaired. Again, get a roofer out to inspect it.
Buying a home can be an exciting time. Checking out a roof is not. Still, taking a close look at the roof can prevent situations where you later regret getting caught up in the curb appeal of a home and buying a lemon that needs an expensive roof repair.