The outside of your house is a fortress to shield you and your loved ones from the elements. It protects from wind, rain, branches, debris, hot and cold weather, ice, and pests.
A roof and siding job is a significant expenditure, whether it involves repair or replacement. Before deciding on a course of action, consider the following criteria.
Curb Appeal
As the first thing prospective buyers notice when they approach a property, a well-kept and modern yard is a fantastic way to increase curb appeal. This includes maintaining a lush lawn, eliminating dead grass, and pruning plants. Other finishing touches, such as fresh paint for the front door and new numbers on the mailbox, are also included.
While it may seem trivial, curb appeal significantly affects property value. A house with ideal curb appeal usually sells for 7% more than similar houses without good curb appeal.
Weather Resistance
Your home’s roofing and siding are its primary defense against harsh weather conditions like high winds, hail, and wildfires. Choosing a highly weather-resistant material will help your home or building withstand these natural disasters.
For instance, if you reside in a region where hailstorms occur frequently, consider selecting class 4 or impact-resistant roofing shingles. As a result, they have proven they can endure being struck by huge bits of hail without suffering damage by passing the UL test.
Insulation is also an essential part of any weather-resistant house or building. For example, moisture resistance insulation is made from foam-like boards that keep unwanted temperatures out and air in. It’s a great upgrade from standard fiberglass insulation. Money may be saved on energy expenditures, and moisture in your walls won’t have any negative impacts.
Energy Efficiency
A roof that could be more energy efficient can raise cooling and heating costs significantly. In addition, it can cause a strain on the HVAC system and overwork it to keep your home at the desired temperature.
The best time to address the energy efficiency of your roof is during a reroofing project. But even if you’re not planning to replace your roof, you can improve its energy health by adding insulation.
Shingles’ color and material also affect how much energy your roof absorbs and reflects. Light shingles reflect sunlight, keeping homes cooler and lowering energy bills, while dark shingles absorb heat. When choosing shingles, consider your location and budget.
Durability
The primary line of protection for your house against severe weather conditions like thunderstorms and blizzards is its roof. It must thus be strong enough to defend your house for many years.
In warmer areas, asphalt shingles, the most popular type of roofing material, have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, whereas tile roofs can last up to 50 years or more. Do some research on the best roofing materials for your region and style of architecture.
Full replacement is a great way to upgrade your roofing material and ensure your house’s durability. It also allows for a thorough inspection of the roof structure by a qualified contractor to determine if there is any underlying damage that should be addressed before the new roof goes on.
Material Compatibility
A roof and siding protect a building from the elements, such as sun, wind, rain/snow, heat, and cold. Depending on the material and style, they also enhance or detract from a structure’s appearance.
Whether you’re trying to sell your home or update it, matching colors is important. The right shingle color will blend in with the rest of your house and complement other exterior features like shutters and your front door.
Material compatibility is essential for medical equipment because surfaces are often exposed to hospital-grade disinfectants. SwRI staff use dedicated instrumentation to test material compatibility by soaking samples of elastomers, plastics, and hoses in candidate fluids over time and at different temperatures to determine how long they can be soaked without damage. They are then visually inspected, weighed, and photographed to record results.