Ways To Tell If Your Cedar Shake Roof Needs Repairs Or Replacement

By Author: Lewis Benjamin
Total Articles: 33
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A cedar shake roof provides a rustic and dignified look to a house, but also requires a keen eye while conducting regular inspections. There are several ways to tell if your cedar roof is in need of urgent repairs as well as ways to tell if replacing the entire roof may be a better option.

What to look for during inspection of a roof made of cedar shakes
Most experts agree that you should inspect your roof a minimum of two times during a year, which is during fall and spring. In addition, it is always better to inspect your roof in case of an announcement of an impending hailstorm, although the inspection should be done much before the arrival of the storm.

You can look for exterior damage to your roof by firstly looking out for cracked or worn shakes. If you notice loose material in gutters or around your chimney, pipes, or vents, then this indicates that the wood is wearing down at a fast pace. You should also look for moss, mold, fungi, or rot on your roof since this indicates deep seepage of water.

You should also conduct an interior check by visiting your attic. Again, moss, mold, and fungi ...
... from inside indicate that the wood has lost its natural ability to repel bacteria and attacks from other microbes. If you notice leakage or other forms of water damage then you need to engage in urgent roof repairs. Cedar roofs can also fall prey to termites and carpenter ants if it loses its natural oils.

How to decide between repairs and replacement
If your entire roof has started sagging then this may be a major cause of concern since that would indicate structural problems as well as a roof that may have accumulated too much moisture.

If you notice far too many cracked or crumbling shakes or shakes that have bloated a lot with moisture as well as covered with moss then you need to seriously consider replacing your entire roof. If, however, you notice only a small patch that is damaged then you can opt for roof repairs before the arrival of heavy rains or snow.

If your wooden roof made of cedar shakes has protected your home since the past 15 years and is looking faded, worn, and damaged, then its optimum life is probably over. However, instead of opting for a cedar roof once again, you should explore other cost-effective and stylish options such as metal roofs. Such roofs last for around 50 years and are highly resistant to fire, corrosion, and heavy hail. Metal also possesses the highest weight to strength ratio amongst all other materials such as stone, asphalt shingles, clay, and wood.

Installing a cedar shake roof in the past may have made a lot of sense due to its pleasing looks and high thermal efficiency. However, such roofs do require frequent inspections and require a lot of maintenance. If your cedar roof shows signs of heavy damage or leakage at too many locations then it may be a better option to just opt for complete roof replacement with a better material such as metal.

Author Bio:
Lewis Benjamin is a self motivated, energetic individual. He enjoys challenging himself and experiencing new things. He has traveled a lot since his childhood and is fascinated with various types of housing designs and architectures. In this article, he highlights different types of metal roofing and metal roof repairs & replacement.Check out more about installation of cedar shake roof.