With the harsh winter we have had here in Maryland in the past few months, a roof inspection isn’t such a bad idea. Snow, rain and ice take their toll on roofs, making them ware down much quicker than their normal day-to-day existence.

So what exactly does a roof inspection consist of? When inspecting your roof, if you notice missing, curling, buckling shingles or an abundance of granules in the gutters it may be time to consider replacing your roof. Worn flashing around chimneys’ or worn gaskets around soil pipes are a sign that a repair of those areas may be necessary to avoid a leak before it occurs.

But how will you know if it’s really time to replace your roof? A typical original roof   lasts between 15 and 25 years depending on several factors.   Research indicates that the aging process for a roof begins soon after the shingles are installed and progresses rapidly during the initial curing phase of its life cycle. During this stage, granule loss may occur, small blisters may develop, or the shingles may curl slightly at their edges. The good news however, is that after this curling stage, the shingles enter a long period of slow aging, which lasts for the major portion of the shingle’s natural life. For more detailed information on the roof cycle, visit our website and view Certainteed’s “The Life Cycle of Your Roof” brochure, under the “Roof” tab.

Now let’s say you have performed an inspection and can officially confirm that your needs to be replaced, just how do you go about doing it? To help you through the process, Certainteed has developed a brochure which breaks down the reroofing process into three specific areas: Getting Started, Selecting a Product and Reroofing Procedures. Just go to our website and click on the Homeowner’s Guide to Reroofing link, under the “Roof” tab, to read the entire brochure. It is not only a helpful step-by-step guide, but provides very detailed information and visuals about the entire roofing industry.

For more information on roofs and/or any remodeling projects your thinking about, visit our website at www.alliedremodeling.com!