Roof Tune Ups: What Homeowners Should Know

Most people only think about their roof when there is a leak or after a big storm. By that point the damage is usually already done. A roof tune up is the preventative maintenance that helps avoid those bigger problems.

What is a roof tune up
A roof tune up is basically a maintenance check for your roof. A professional roofer goes up and looks for small issues before they turn into expensive repairs.

Typical things checked during a roof tune up include:

• loose or missing shingles

• nail pops

• cracked pipe boots

• deteriorating sealant around vents or flashing

• debris buildup in valleys

• early signs of storm or hail damage

Many of these repairs are minor if caught early but can lead to leaks, wood rot or interior damage if ignored.

How often you should get a roof tune up
A good rule of thumb is once a year and after major storms.

In Central Texas our roofs deal with a lot of stress including hail, high winds and extreme heat. That combination can cause shingles to age faster than homeowners expect. Annual inspections help catch problems before they turn into insurance claims or major repairs.

If your roof is older than 10 to 12 years it becomes even more important to stay on top of maintenance.

How your roof affects your insurance
Your roof plays a huge role in your homeowner’s insurance. Insurance companies look closely at three things when determining your coverage and premium:

1. Age of the roof

2. Condition of the roof

3. Type of roofing material

Older roofs or roofs that show signs of neglect can lead to higher premiums, higher deductibles or even limited coverage. Some carriers will not insure homes with roofs past a certain age unless they have been recently inspected.

Keeping records of inspections and maintenance can help when renewing or shopping for insurance.

Understanding a 1% roof deductible
This is something many homeowners do not realize until they file a claim.

A lot of policies today have a wind and hail deductible that is based on a percentage of the home’s insured value rather than a flat dollar amount.

For example:

If your home is insured for $400,000 and your policy has a 1% wind and hail deductible, your deductible would be:

$4,000 out of pocket before insurance covers the rest of the claim.

If the deductible were 2 percent, that would be $8,000.

Because Texas sees so many hail claims, many policies have percentage deductibles specifically for roof related damage.

Why preventative maintenance matters
Roof repairs are almost always cheaper than roof replacements. Small fixes like resealing flashing or replacing a few shingles can prevent leaks that lead to interior damage, mold or structural repairs.

Regular tune ups also help extend the life of the roof and document that the homeowner has properly maintained the property.

The bottom line
Your roof protects everything underneath it including your structure, your belongings and your ability to maintain affordable insurance coverage.

A simple annual roof tune up can help catch small issues early, extend the life of the roof and potentially save thousands in repairs or insurance claims down the road.

If you are a homeowner in Central Texas, especially with our hail and heat, it is one of the easiest preventative maintenance steps you can take.