If you're in the market for a roof replacement, there are many things you need to take into account before getting your new roof. For instance, the climate in Colorado Springs can be harsh on roofs, so it's important to let professional roofing contractors choose the right roofing materials. Homeowners should be aware that roofing costs will rise in areas with extreme weather. In this blog post, we will discuss the factors you need to consider when doing a full roof replacement.
If you live in the Colorado Springs area, then you are already aware of the fact that it's not if you need to replace your old roof, it's when you need to replace it. In Colorado Springs, the average roof replacement is once every seven years.
Here are five things you need to consider before a roof replacement:
Major Hail Alley
In Colorado Springs, it is common to see hail storms once a year or more which greatly affects homeowners. If you are going to invest in a roof replacement it will likely be hit by a hail storm.
That being said, you as a homeowner might want to consider impact-resistant roofing materials. Your insurance company may inform you that you need to put on impact-resistant roofing materials to qualify for their coverage.
If you are thinking of getting a roof replacement your insurance company may pay for roof repairs if you get hit by hail. In other words, you may not need to pay for it. Additionally, in the Colorado Springs area, homeowners should keep in mind that the insurance rates and deductibles are much more likely to be higher in this hail-prone zone.
Wind
A force to be reckoned with. Not only can the wind strip parts of your roof off or your entire roof off, but consistent high winds can also make it so that your roofer may not be able to get your job done. You may have hired a contractor only to run into consistent delay after delay, and it is likely because Colorado Springs has had over six months of high sustained wind.
Also, the roofing material that you choose can help protect you against wind damage. It all depends on the roofing installation process and how much testing the roofing material manufacturer has done, that is to see how much sustained force from wind their product can hold up to.
High winds can also cause tree limbs or tree branches to fall onto your roof which can damage the roofing material. It can even knock whole trees down onto your house!
Weather
The weather determines whether or not your contractor is able to replace your roof. For instance, if it is cold, your contractor is not going to be able to put on your new roof. This can happen almost any time of year in the Colorado Springs area. This is because shingle manufacturers specify in their installation requirements that they cannot be installed in the cold because they won't seal correctly.
So, the general rule of thumb that we like to operate on is that we want it at least 45 degrees with clear skies with a warming trend. We wouldn't want to install it on a day that is 55 degrees while the next day is 20 degrees and windy, because if the shingles don't have time to seal the next day you could lose shingles. We want a warming trend just to give those shingles enough time to seal correctly.
Hot Days
Asphalt Shingles
In Colorado Springs, there aren't any extraordinarily hot days for sustained periods of time like they do in perhaps Houston, Texas. That being said, there are temperatures over 85 degrees and that is simply too hot to install a roof. It isn't so much the fact that the roofers don't want to work, it is the fact that you are using an asphalt shingle, and more importantly, the asphalt shingle gets really soft and scuffs very easily. So, yes, it can be too hot to install shingles.
Ventilation
Another thing to consider under the hot Colorado sun is that you will definitely need ventilation on your roof. You need intake ventilation and exhaust ventilation. The reason that you want that is to prevent all that hot air from building up inside your attic and essentially baking the shingles from underneath because that can cause blisters or it can cause thermal cracking. The shingles manufacturers require your roof to be ventilated.
Pipe Jacks
Another thing the Colorado sun wreaks havoc on is your pipe jacks. A pipe jack is a device that is used to seal pipes. They are placed on your roof where the pipes come through. Standard neoprene pipe jacks with aluminum base on them, The sun can bake those and make them brittle, so they start falling apart. In that case, homeowners should really consider a leak stopper pipe jack, which is made out of a material that doesn't get brittle or break down from sun exposure.
Roofing Scams
After storms in Colorado Springs, it is very common for fake contractors to knock on a homeowner's door and offer a "free" inspection.
Spaghetti
Many times these people take the "spaghetti" approach when doing roofing inspections. This means you just throw it against the wall and see what sticks.
In that case, these fake contractors would tell everyone, "You have roof damage and need to file a claim." That might not be the best thing for you to do because it may get denied, leaving you with a claim on your record as a zero-pay claim, which is not good to have on your record.
Hire Locally
Another thing that happens once hail hits Colorado Springs is roofers come out of the woodwork-- different towns, states, etc all trying to capitalize on the storm. This is not a good solution for you.
You as a homeowner should use a local roofing contractor, someone that you can get in touch with after the roof is installed if you have any problems without getting the story that they "are too far away" to fix the issue.
Insurance Claim Specialists
Watch out for contractors who claim to be insurance claim specialists, roofers are not insurance claim specialists. A roofing contractor cannot read your insurance policy and is not allowed to interpret it. Colorado law judges that a roofing contractor trying to act as an insurance specialist is unfairly trying to practice public adjusting.
Deductible
Yet another scam to watch out for is roofers offering to pay your deductible. This is illegal in Colorado and is considered insurance fraud because the homeowner is responsible for paying 100% of the deductible to the contractor.
Stealing Deposit Money
The biggest roofing scam by far is stealing deposit money. A roofer will collect a deposit from a homeowner, oftentimes this happens as soon as the contract is signed, and then you never hear from the contractor again.
Therefore it is super important that if you pay upfront before materials are delivered to your property that roofers are supposed to hold that money in trust. They can't deposit into their bank accounts, but it is better for you as a homeowner to not give a contractor money upfront until materials have been delivered to the property.
Research
Finally, it never hurts to do your own research. If you have questions about your roof, the best place to start is by contacting your local building department because they are familiar with the different types of roofs in your area and what is permitted.
Another great resource is the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can check a company's rating with the BBB as well as any complaints that have been filed.
You can also look for customer reviews online, but keep in mind that some roofing companies will post their own fake reviews, so take those with a grain of salt. The best way to find out if a roofer is reputable is by asking your friends and neighbors for referrals.
We hope this blog post was helpful in giving you an idea of what to look for when replacing your roof in Colorado Springs. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us here at Homestead Roofing, we will be happy to help. Thank you for reading!
