End of summer is the right time to inspect your roof

While the snow, hail and cold winter weather still seem far off, homeowners are advised to start thinking about having their roofs inspected to avoid any roofing problems that will be difficult to fix during the extreme weather of the winter months.

Experts at Legacy Roofing Services in Akron advise that fall is the perfect time of year to do any necessary work. The heat of summer is over and there is still time before the winter elements arrive. “We generally try to avoid installing asphalt shingles during extreme heat and extreme cold,” said Dave Sipes, vice president of residential roofing at Legacy Roofing.

Sipes also advises that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several manufacturing plants are not producing shingles at their normal capacity and roofing service providers are experiencing shortages. “While asphalt shingles are still readily available, it is expected that supply will not be able to keep up with demand this year,” said Sipes. “Especially if homeowners want specific colors it is best for these orders to get placed as soon as possible.”

The most common shingle used for more than 90% of residential roofing are dimensional shingles, which are made of asphalt and have a 130-mph wind rating. These are layered shingles that have a solid weight and thickness, giving the roof added dimension.

Homeowners are advised to first have their roofing inspected to access any problems and see if the roof is repairable. A few loose shingles, broken seals and missing nails can all be fixed with relative ease. While most homeowners hope their roofing issues can be resolved with a few repairs, experts say on average about 75% of repair calls require a roof replacement, making it critical consumers identify a reputable and well-rated local provider.

Sipes also advises homeowners to inspect all materials before any work is performed to make sure the shingles being used are the ones they selected and are the correct color, quality and brand. In addition to looking at the shingles, consumers should also look at other roofing elements such as the hip and ridge caps (a cap used where two slopes meet) to make sure everything is the right quality and rating to match the shingles (i.e., don’t use a 65-mph-rated hip and ridge cap with a 130-mph-rated shingle). Ice guards also need to be properly installed and positioned to ensure maximum impact. Homeowners should ask their roofing service provider to go over everything with them before any work begins.

Finally, homeowners should understand that replacing a roof is a messy job no matter who is performing the work. Good roofing service providers will do a thorough cleanup after the new roof is installed. The good news, however, is that it generally takes only 1-2 days at most to replace a typical roof, so homeowners won’t have to look at a messy area very long.