Articlr

Ask any homeowner about their home and just about the last thing they will mention is the roof. Yet, it is the roof that is foremost when it comes to keeping the elements out. For something so important, it does not get much respect.

If you fail to take care of the roof on your home, you run the risk of spending a serious amount of money on your lack of judgment. Most people mistakenly believe roof repairs are simple.

Think about the hull on a boat. What does it do? It creates a waterproof envelope that keeps the water out and allows the vessel to float. A roof is similar, but is a collection of systems that work together to keep water out of your home.

The problem with roof repairs is they are not restricted to just the leak point. The discoloration you might see on a ceiling inside the home may be coming from a link well up the roof in another area.

The nature of water is the problem. Simply put, it migrates in random directions. As a result, the leak in question may be anywhere. This means water tests to identify it and pulling up big chunks of roof to address the problem.

Spending money on your roof is probably not high on your list of things to do. With a bit of yearly maintenance, you will not have to. A roof is a solid piece of construction, so you just need to take care of it.

While maintenance is a matter of common sense, there is one additional step that can add 10 years to the life of the roof. The issue involves the air between the ceiling and outer roofing. The air in this space can destroy a roof.

Let us return to our ship hull example. A hull works great if water is kept outside. What if it is also collected inside, however? The interior starts to rust and the hull weakens. Eventually, it will fail and the ship will sink.

A similar problem can happen in the space below your roof. The components of the roof are laid bare there. The air just sits and heats up. It can get up to 150 degrees in some areas. Water in the air gets into the wood and the roof slowly fails.

This can cut 10 years or more off the life of your roof. The secret to stopping it is to put an attic fan in. The fan will circulate the air with the exterior environment. This will keep temperatures much cooler and save your roof.

Ah, but I already have vents in my attic. Studies show those vents do not do the job. They do not create air circulation and are to low on the wall to address the air near the top of the roof. In short, the problem remains.

Installing an attic fan will set you back a few hundred bucks if done professionally. Compared to the thousands involved in repairing a major roof failure, it just makes sense to do it.