Owning a home is a big responsibility, and as such, a lot of people have always advised a lot of different things. This is fairly normal—why not do what you can to make the job easy? However, not all of this information is accurate. Whether it may have been true at one time, or it never had its basis in actually factual information, misinformation is everywhere out there, especially in the age of the internet.
This is especially true when it comes to your roof. Many people will say things or believe things to be true which actually are exactly the opposite and could even harm your home if you aren’t careful. So on this blog, we’re going to set the record straight on four popular roofing myths and give you the truth about them.
More Ventilation Is Better
A well-ventilated attic is pivotal for the health of your home and your roof as a whole. However, as the old saying goes, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. This is very much the case with ventilation, as having too much can lead to all sorts of problems. Ventilation must be a balance of intake and out take in order to be effective. The right quantity and placement are critical. Too much ventilation can actually lead to increased temperatures in your attic, which leads to significant damage and increased wear and tear on your roof. It also usually leads to worse airflow which only magnifies the problem.
The overwhelming majority of roofs we see do not have the proper ventilation formula in play. It is strongly advised you speak with a professional Phoenix roofer about your attic to find out if you should alter your ventilation strategy. Proper ventilation is not only better for the maintenance of your home, but most roofing materials manufacturer requires adequate ventilation to maintain their warranties.
Your Gutters Aren’t Important
Your rain gutters may not seem like that big of a deal, but the truth is they actually have a tremendous amount of responsibility for protecting your roof and your whole home. When it rains, your gutters are responsible for moving the water that collects on your roof away from your home safely. How much water falls on your roof? More than you probably would have imagined—a single inch of rain falling on a 2,000 square foot roof can equate to well over 1,000 gallons of water!
Imagine an extra thousand gallons of water dripping into the foundation below your home during a rainstorm. Sound terrifying? This is what rain gutters prevent. However, rain gutters that are jammed or clogged stop this from happening. The water instead simply pools up on your roof, dealing severe damage to the materials and potentially even causing nasty leaks. It’s extremely important that you keep those gutters clean, whatever it may take.
All Roof Materials Are the Same
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Just as not all roofing contractors are the same, all roofing materials are not built alike. Reputable name brands have developed manufacturing processes over years of refinement, experimentation, and real-world testing in order to make an even better product. Budget materials often don’t have the same quality built into them, and while they’re cheaper, they definitely aren’t as durable or last as long.
When the time comes to choose your new roofing material, make sure it’s one that you can depend on to last and provide you with quality. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for, and paying significantly less could lead to more expensive headaches and repairs in the long run.
New Roofs Don’t Need Maintenance
Does your new car not need an oil change for its first 25,000 to 30,000 miles? This is absurd—if you want something to last, you have to maintain it, no matter how new it might be. While it’s true that you likely won’t see any serious problems emerging, maintenance is a crucial part of owning anything that’s a serious investment, whether it’s your car or the roof over your home.
When your roof is brand new, it’s strongly advised that you have it maintained at least once per year in order to have it inspected for potential problems. The best news? While your roof is brand new, it more than likely will remain under warranty, and that means warranty repairs won’t cost you anything out of your pocket.
If you need your roof inspected or a maintenance service, call the Phoenix roofing experts at Lyons Roofing at (520) 447-2522 today!