There’s a lot to learn about taking care of a home as a new homeowner.

Being a homeowner is a whole new ballgame. When you were renting, you didn’t have to worry about how old the water heater was or how long it had been since the HVAC system was maintained, but now it’s up to you to handle all of the responsibilities of owning a home. The one big area of homeownership that you definitely don’t want to overlook is your roof, and that’s why our roofers in Denver have come up with this guide for new homeowners to roofing.

Get your roof inspected by a roofing professional you trust.

Before we start talking about the responsibilities of maintaining a roof as a homeowner, it’s important to know what to do with the roof before you even fill out your closing paperwork. If you’re buying a home with the help of a mortgage, then you’ll have to get a home inspection. However, home inspectors rarely actually get on top of a roof to check it out, and while they can learn a lot about the roof from the ground, there’s also a lot that they could miss. Hiring a separate roofing contractor to inspect your roof probably feels like an unnecessary expense, but they’ll be a lot more likely to catch hidden problems that you’ll want taken care of before you buy the house.

A Few Things to Learn About Your Roof

In order to provide your roof with the proper care, you’ll need to learn a few things about it, including:

What is your roof made of?

There are many different kinds of roofing materials out there, and they all have different maintenance requirements and lifespans. And, although you may think the roofing material is always obvious from simply looking at your roof, you’d be surprised at how convincing some roofing materials are when they are made to look like other materials. For example, composite roofing can be made to look exactly like cedar shakes or asphalt shingles.

How old is your roof?

Some roofing materials are made to last longer than others, and once you learn what your roof was made of, you should find out how old the roof is. This will give you a better idea of when you might need to replace your roof so that you can plan ahead. Here is a list of the average life expectancies of different roofing materials:
  • Asphalt Shingles - 20 Years
  • Composite Shingles - 20 Years
  • Wood Shingles and Shakes - 30 Years
  • Metal - 40 - 80 Years
  • Slate, Concrete or Clay Tiles - 100 Years

Is your roof under warranty?

In many cases, the roofing warranty will be transferred to the new homeowner when they buy the house. If your roof is covered by a warranty, you’ll want to know about it because it could help to shield you against repair or replacement costs down the line.

Has your roof be re-roofed over?

If you have an asphalt shingle roof, you should ask the previous homeowner if the roof was ripped off the last time it was replaced or if a new layer of roofing was applied over the existing roof. Roofing over an existing asphalt shingle roof is possible, and it can save time and money during a roof replacement, but you can’t put more than two layers on a roof without it becoming too heavy for the home. So if your roof has been re-roofed over in the past, the roof will have to be ripped off completely the next time it needs to be replaced.

For all of your roofing needs in Denver, turn to Endeavor Exteriors.

In our next blog, we’ll touch on a few more things new homeowners need to be aware of regarding their roof, so please make sure that you stay tuned to learn more! In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns about your roof, or you’re interested in getting a secondary roofing inspection by a professional roofing contractor, contact us today. We’ve been providing superior roofing services in Denver for more than 50 years, and we offer roofing solutions for both homeowners and businesses alike. There’s no roofing company that’s better equipped to handle your needs than we are. Don’t wait! Contact us today about your roofing needs.