Knowing When It’s Time To Get A New Roof (NAPSA)—The condition of their roof is one thing homeowners should stay on top of. The wind, the rain—even the sun—canall damageshingles and lead to leaks, vermin infestation and high heating andcoolingcosts. And not keeping on top of things can wind up costing you big time. Experts estimate homeowners spend—some would say waste— billions of dollars annually just on fixing poorly installed or constructed roofing. How to avoid that money trap? Well, there are some early predictors of problems ahead—starting with something as simple as whether you can see blistering or peeling paint. Both could possibly be due to either excessive moisture or high humidity stemming from poorattic ventilation. Leaks in the attic after a driving rain are anothertelltale sign. Possible causes: inadequate shingle underlayment or deteriorated flashing. Other signs of trouble include stains on interior ceilings and walls that are the result of inadequate or faulty shingles underlayment. Either condition allows leakage to seep through from ice dams and missing, cracked or curling shingles that have reached the end of their useful life. And the list of telltale signs goes on. Roof problems include roof shingle, sheathing or siding decay. Possible cause: poor attic ventilation. Excessive energy costs can also be the result of your heating and cooling system running excessively. You should also keep an eye Inspecting your roof on a regular basis can keep maintenance costs from exploding. out for dark, dirty looking areas on your roof. Possible causes: environmental pollutants; vegetation, fun- gus or algae growth; loss of granules due to age of shingles. Those wasted dollars caused by roof problems can be avoided when a professional roofing system is correctly installed, according to experts at GAF Materials Corporation, a leading roofing manufacturer. With this in mind, the company has designed a certification program for roofing contractors. Contractors with this certification present homeowners with a written plan that covers everything from pre-installation to the finished job. The contractors use GAF materials backed by limited warranties that range from 20 years to a lifetime and cover the contractor’s workmanship during thecritical early years. For more information or to find a certified contractor, visit www.gaf.com.
