Your home’s umbrella. The top of the envelope. The main protector from the elements.
There are many places in your home that people forget about just because they're doing their job. Your roof is one of the main ones. Also, it is one of the most expensive to repair.
This is truly why regular inspections and maintenance, preventative and as necessary, can prevent unwanted and costly repairs.
There are many components to your roof system. Most of which you cannot see.
In a typical home, you have the roof structure and framing that is present in the attic. The sheathing or decking ties all that together and gives a substrate for the roofing materials to be attached to. And underlayment or other water-impermeable membrane to prevent the water from actually coming into the home. Finally, you have the actual covering that you can see… like your tiles or shingles.
Most of the time, the roof framing and sheathing stick around and do their job for a long time unless you have a larger leak, or deferred maintenance. Most issues start under the tiles.
The underlayment, which keeps the water out of the home, depending on which type was installed when the house was built, lasts upwards of 20 years before replacement is needed. And with the new materials available, you can have your home protected for upwards of 40+ years.
Concrete tile roofs, which are most common around the area, if maintained, can last upwards of 75 years or more. They crack from all manner of things such as material defects, installation issues, birds dropping things from the sky, toys, and the unknown.
Many people think the tiles are what keep the water out of your house, but they are mainly for heat deflection and shedding the water so it stays away from the underlayment.
Your home might not have concrete tiles but traditional asphalt shingles. Shingles are very common on homes in our area as well. They last typically around 20 to 30 years depending on the type. With our brutal sun, they suffer from issues like granular loss from UV deterioration, which exposes the underneath fibers allowing for leakage, and the sealants drying allowing for lifting in the winds.
Hopefully, this helps you learn more about your roof and its components along with the general maintenance issues we find.
It all starts with your roof, so you definitely want to make sure your roof is in great shape. If you stay on top of maintenance, your roof can last a long time.
Call Halo Inspections and we will be glad to check out your roof so there are no surprises.
Thank you so much for your time and look forward to helping you keep your house happy and healthy.