Year after year the roofs on our homes keep us dry and warm in the winter and cooler in the summer. Most of the time our home roofs perform so well and are designed to last so long these days that we often take them for granted until inevitably the day comes when there is a problem.
Typically, the first signs of roof trouble are visible inside the home, such as a dark spot on the ceiling indicating a small leak. That’s an early warning sign, which we are often tempted to ignore. The rainy season is over or I should get up to the attic next weekend or I’m okay now.
You might also one day see debris or dirt that is suddenly dropping from a dark spot on the ceiling or unusual dust at the roof line corner of an upper story bedroom. Or an HVAC technician performing system maintenance in the attic comes down and says, “You need to see this,” as he points to a termite debris pile photo on his phone.
According to RoofAdvisor.com, the generally recommended replacement schedule for roofing should be based on the material used: composition shingles: 12-20 years, asphalt shingles: 15-30 years, and wood shingles: 20-25 years.
Depending on your location, the installation quality and other issues, there is a lot of variability in roof lifetimes. In Southern California, concrete tile roofs are said to last up to 50 or more years. Of course, one Pacific bomb cyclone or strong earthquake can easily upset all those calculations. We don’t live in a life testing laboratory.
Our advice at Helfrich Associates is always: don’t put off until tomorrow what you can fix today, this week or this month. As structural engineers working with homeowners and insurance companies, we’ve seen lots of roof damage ranging from fires to wind to quakes to neglect. Repair is generally less costly than early replacement.
While today’s roofing materials have great lifetime ratings, there are other factors beyond the roofing material that can affect its quality and lifetime. In Southern California, for example, the wind blows in the Santa Ana season and no roofing material is immune to 40-50 mile per hour or higher gusts.
When it comes to termites, newer roofing materials are likely immune to munching critters. The trouble is if the attic venting screens are loose or blow away, uninvited hungry guests can move in quickly to chew on your framing and sub-roofing materials that weaken the roof structure. Tile roofs are heavy and need adequate support.
If you’re buying a new home, especially a craftsman style with wood shingles or trim, or any home older than 10 years, be sure to have a professional termite and a roof topside inspection. Cash buyers in a hurry to move can be tempted to skip these steps, but don’t do it!
On the other hand it your heart falls for a beautiful home from another time, we can help. Many of these beauties were built when building codes were either non-existent or new. For example, is your Victorian built on a stone foundation or was it retrofitted with a concrete foundation for earthquake safety?
Does your Victorian have room in the attic or basement to install central heating and air-conditioning? What about available space between the first and second floors to run the necessary ducting from the top floor to the bottom floor rooms? How old is the breaker box and the wiring . . . are their gas lines and how old are they? Will you be required as a new owner by either city building code or for insurance purpose to make these or other hazard improvements?
It is always best to consider the additional cost of updating a home before paying the full purchase price and to have a remodeling plan in place with a budget. Many times the amount required to update an older structure is at odds with the owner’s valuation . . . but there can be room for price negotiation if you have a professional engineering team inspecting the property and assisting with your renovation plans.
At Helfrich Associates, we often help existing and new homeowners assess the structural integrity of their roofs and entire homes. Let us help you make sure that the roof over your head is the right one for the safety and comfort of your family. Many times our advice can help you find the best home renovation solution while often saving you money at the same time.