DAVID MARTIN & SON: FREQUENTLY ASKED ROOFING QUESTIONS

Q: How long should I expect my roof to last?
A: All roofs eventually wear out. How quickly depends on several factors including: quality of materials, quality of installation, quality of attic and roof ventilation and the climate.

Q: What causes a roof to wear out?
A: Several factors combine to affect roof deterioration. These may include ultraviolet radiation from the sun, temperature extremes, exposure to wind and rain, and foot traffic on the roof. Darker color shingles may have shorter service life than shingles with a light color.

Q: What causes wood shingles to split and crack?
A: Splitting and cracking of wood occurs naturallyas part of the aging process, largely due to shrinking and swelling caused by moisture and subsequent drying.

Q: Can an existing roof be covered with another?
A: Multiple roofing layers tend to decrease a roof's resistance to hail. Make sure to check local building codes, as some building codes and ordinances restrict the number of roofing layers a house may have. Another issue to consider with wood shingles when applying a new roof over the wood shingles is possible fungus problems.

Installation of metal products over existing wood shingles is common as long as proper cuts for ventilations are observed.

Q: Can composition shingles be repaired?
A: Yes. If damage is minor, a roof contractor can remove individual shingles and replace them with new shingles.

Q: What size hail is damaging to roofing?
A: This depends on several variables - shape, hardness and density of hail, wind speed, age and type of roof. In general, pea and marble size hail should not damage composition roofing in good condition, unless extreme winds are present.

Q: You noticed granules from your composition roof in your gutter and your driveway, is this normal?
A: Yes. With composition roofing, granular loss is part of the normal weathering process. Small hail impacting a roof often displaces some of the granules as does rain, wind and foot traffic.

Q: You noticed lighter colored "splatter" marks on your roof after a hailstorm, is this damage?
A: No. The "splatter" marks that you see are normal after a hail storm. Your roof has darkened over time since it's installation as a result of algae and oxidation. When the hailstones contact to the roof, the algae and oxidation are removed, leaving a light colored mark. In time, these marks will fade as algae grow and oxidation continues on your roof.

Q: Are all homes in a neighborhood affected the same way by hail?
A: No. The number, size and hardness of hailstones can vary tremendously within a small locality. Other factors include velocity and direction of the wind, roof pitch, age and condition. Each roof is different.