Roofing: Shaken, not Stirred

November 14, 2007 | By Kelley Koehler | Filed Under Repair Renovate Maintain

mixing roofing types in tucson real estate Okay, it’s a lame title. I’m talking about mixing roof types. If you’ve got a better idea for a title, I’m all ears.

Call it a pet peeve, but there was a period for new construction homes where builders would mix their roof types. I’m assuming this was a cost saving measure. Often, you’ll find a tile roof over the main portion of the house, with a rolled asphalt patio cover or garage roof. Or in older houses, you’ll see an asphalt shingle roof over the majority with a built-up painted roof over the carport or patio.

The trouble is that all of these roofs have vastly different lifespans. Your tile roof may last 50 years. The asphalt shingle may last 20-30 years. The built-up roof may need a re-coat every 3-5 years. The rolled asphalt could go 10-15 years before it needs to be replaced.

Perhaps it is an artifact of the style of housing here, of the general architecture. Often, our patios are an add-on, they don’t tie into the main roof, tend to have little slope, so it only makes sense to put a rolled asphalt or a built-up roof on that.

Even so, it doesn’t alleviate the problems – that you’ll need to care for different sections of your roof at different times and in different ways.

The tile roof you usually can’t walk on, so it’s a good idea to call out the professionals every couple of years to have a look around. Sometimes tiles can shift in a strong storm. Replacing a tile roof – very very expensive.

Asphalt shingles commonly come with a 20 or 30 warranty. You’ll want to check this kind of roof out every few years, to watch for shifting shingles, loss of granules, and nail pops. Replacing an asphalt shingle roof runs $4000-7000, roughly, for an average sized house.

The rolled asphalt roof should be looked at every year or two, to make sure there are no nail pops, or that the surface is loosing the little granules, or is wrinkled or buckled. Replacing rolled asphalt roof: $3000-6000, depending on size.

The built-up roof should be looked at every year, as this one degrades the fastest. Watch for blistering, cracking, and ponding. Recoating a typical roof runs around $2000-$3000. To replace the roof (not just recoat) would be about twice that.

tags: home maintenance, roof, tucson, tucson real estate

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