No one can deny the beauty and appeal of a wood shake roof. On any home, it adds a warmth that is hard to replicate. I love the texture, color, and dimension that wood roofs add to a home of any style. Unfortunately, wood roofs also come with a heavy price tag and maintenance issues that can cause serious headaches. In fact, many insurance companies are requiring homeowners to replace their wood roofs with manufactured alternatives.
First, climb up on your roof to check its condition – proper maintenance and care is key to prolonging the longevity of your wood shake roof. Keeping your wood roof in good condition can add many years and save you thousands of dollars. If your roof is too hard to climb on yourself, call a roofer that you trust to come and complete the inspection for you. Most roofers will do this for no charge and can help with any repairs that might be necessary.
When our roof inspectors climb on homeowners roofs to inspect for damage and wear we look for shingles that are no longer offering protection to the underlayment. This underlayment is the main, waterproof layer that protects your home from the outside elements. The shingles are installed on top of the underlayment and offer it protection.
Once the underlayment is exposed to the sun and elements, the life of your roof is near an end. We look for solar burns through shingles as well as curling shingles and shingles that have hit marks and cracks from hail. If shingles have worn in this way, they are at risk for coming off during high winds and severe weather and exposing the underlayment. We also look for thin and brittle shingles, telling us that the life of the shingles is near an end.
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Call a trusted roofer. Get recommendations from neighbors and sites such as Houzz, Home Advisor or Thumbtack. Your roofer will come out and perform their own inspection on your wood shake roof and recommend repair or replacement options. In many cases, insurance companies will not allow you to replace your wood roof with the same material, so make sure you check with your insurance agent before making any decisions.
Taking care of your roof is critical in prolonging it’s life and protecting your home. Following steps and performing general maintenance can save you thousands of dollars and big headaches along the way. As always, contact us with any questions or for a free roof inspection.
