As a homeowner, one of the most important parts of your home that you should make sure to take good care of is your roof. Your roof helps protect your home against the elements, after all, and it can be quite costly to repair or replace if you ignore any issues it might have. Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners are not that familiar with how their roof works or what its needs are. Complicating this further is the fact that there are a lot of common myths about roofing floating around. These misconceptions could potentially hinder your ability to properly maintain your roof. Keeping that in mind, the following are six of the most common roofing myths that you should be aware of:
Ice damming occurs when warm air from inside the home melts the layer of snow directly on top of the roof without melting the outer most layer. This causes water to be trapped between the outer most layer of snow and the roof. This melted snow will slide down to the eaves of the roof where it will freeze, thereby trapping in melting snow, which can lead to water leaking through the roof. There’s a myth that metal roofs will somehow help prevent this from happening; however, the only way to prevent ice damming is through proper insulation and ventilation in the attic.
Certain shingles, like asphalt shingles or shingles that can be replaced one at a time, are easy to replace–as long as a professional roofer is the one to do it. Not only can it be incredibly dangerous to try and repair roof damage on your own (even if it’s just a matter of replacing a single broken shingle), but if you don’t do it properly, the roof will be more prone to leaks and other issues. You’re much better off leaving it to the professionals.
Just because you don’t see a problem doesn’t mean there isn’t one. For example, there could potentially be leaks in your roof, but that doesn’t mean that water will be dripping down through your ceiling. For example, your underlayment could be severely water damaged due to leaks without you realizing it. It’s why you should have a roof inspection performed at least once a year. During a roof inspection, problems that you may not have noticed before can be identified–and repaired before they cause major issues.
Just because a roof is brand new doesn’t mean that it won’t require maintenance. A new roof is going to experience the same kind of pressure from outdoor elements as an old roof. Because of this, it’s important that you continue scheduling routine inspections despite the fact that it’s new.
There’s a misconception that asphalt is the cheapest type of shingle you can buy. While asphalt shingles are relatively affordable, there are a wide variety of different types of asphalt shingles. In fact, there are even premium asphalt shingles that are very thick and durable and will last a long time.
Metal roofs will not absorb too much heat during the summer. In fact, as long as your home is properly insulated and ventilated, a metal roof will absorb no more heat than any other type of roof.
These are six roofing myths that you should know about. To request a free roofing estimate in Toledo, OH, or the surrounding areas, contact us at All-Nu Construction today.