Brett Thoms
Pontiac April 1, 2022
With the arrival of spring, it’s a good time for people to survey their homes in order to get an idea of what needs to be worked on. Ensuring your roof is in good shape is an important part of that.
THE EQUITY spoke with Bob Boulet, who owns Boulet Roofing and Insulation, to get a sense on what people can do to ensure they keep a roof over their heads.
“Winter is really a tough season on roofs,” said Boulet.
“This time of year, we see a lot of damage caused by older roof covers that haven’t been . . .
doing their job during the winter, which is of course, total waterproofing.”
Boulet said that roofs that have reached the end of their life are a major source of damage for homes, particularly water damage to both the interior and exterior.
“Sometimes people will tend to wait a little bit too much before they replace the roof,” said Boulet. This delay can end up causing more harm in the long run.
Boulet said the signs that you need to replace your roof include:
· Seeing the space between the shingles on your roof widen.
· Seeing the ends of the shingles flipping up.
· Finding pieces of shingles in your yard.
· Having more than one active leak in your house.
· Finding a lot of granules from your shingles in your gutters. (Finding a small amount is normal)
For people with metal roofs, Boulet mentioned that homeowners should keep an eye out for when screws start pooping out as a sign that someone may need to come out to look at it.
However, he noted that metal roofs are far more durable than shingle roofs and require much less maintenance. “A metal roof that has been properly installed will last at least 50 years compared to a properly installed shingle roof which will last 25 years,” he said.
Boulet added that proper maintenance on any kind of roof can also help homeowners extend the lifetime of their roofs.
“It’s always good during the wintertime to have someone who is able to remove the snow three feet off the edges of the roof,” said Boulet, who also said it’s best if professionals do the clearing. “It’ll just help in preventing different types of problems in the future and help you get a bit more life from your roof.”
“It’s also important to have an evaluation of your sub roof ventilation,” he said. “If it isn’t done properly on a house the roof cover won’t last as long as it should, which is not good for the home itself as it causes moisture accumulation and all sorts of problems related to moisture.”
“A sub roof with proper ingoing and outgoing ventilation also prolongs the life of a shingle roof by avoiding the overheating during the hot summer months [as] extensive overheating will greatly reduce the life of a shingle roof.”
Boulet recommends if anyone has concerns about their roofs, they should get it checked out.
