When you rely on your home to provide you with comfort and shelter, you can't take any risks with its ability to keep water outdoors where it belongs. Great roofing is instrumental in the fight against the elements, because it helps to create the kind of environment you need to keep your home and family safe. Unfortunately, there are many homes that don't have strong, reliable roofs, which can cause problems in the long run. On this website, check out excellent ways to spot roofing problems and resolve them quickly. After all, your home is your most valuable asset, so protect it now.
Roof replacement work is significantly more involved than the alternative, re-roofing. For that reason, a lot of homeowners will want to hold off on taking such a step until it is necessary. That begs the question, of course, "When is it necessary to contact a roof replacement service provider?" Here are three situations where you need to look closely at going in that direction.
Accumulation of Roofing Materials
Presuming a roof is still otherwise in good physical condition, the weight that's produced by accumulated materials is the main reason to replace a roof. Some materials can be shockingly heavily, especially the widely used asphalt shingles you see on many houses.
The metric for putting shingles on a roof is the "square." This refers to a 10-foot by 10-foot area of shingles. It takes three bundles of shingles to cover one square, and asphalt shingles can weigh as much as 80 pounds per bundle.
That means just 100 square-feet of shingles on your roof weighs as much as 240 pounds. Multiply that by just 8 squares, and you've already put nearly a ton of weight on the roof just putting down a single layer of shingles. Some products can be much heavier, with slate shingles reach more than 300 pounds per bundle.
It's not unusual for contractors to see roofs with as many as 5 layers of shingles on them. Generally, once you've reached three layers, it's time to do a roof replacement.
High Snow Loads
With numbers getting into multiple tons just for putting down one layer of shingles, that sounds worrisome enough. In regions where high snow loads occur, you're talking about adding a couple more tons because a cubic-foot of snow weighs 20 pounds. In such regions, it may be best to avoid re-roofing altogether to reduce the risk of putting too much weight on the roof.
Saddlebacking
One of the most worrisome issues a roof can have is saddlebacking. This occurs when sections start to droop because the wood holding the roofing materials up is beginning to fail. What's happening is that moisture has gotten into the decking materials, usually made OSB or plywood. The wood softens, and gravity starts to pull on the board and warp it. Eventually, this creates a dip in the roof where water collects.
If you see saddlebacking occurring, it's time to get roof replacement work started. The job may end up being very aggressive because the failing wood will have to be replaced, and repairs may even be required to shore up beams, trusses, and rafters.
To learn more about roof replacement, reach out to companies like Lagunas Interstate Construction, LLC.