Looking to do some home renovations? Lead with the roof, experts say.
A roof isn’t as pretty and fun to design as a luxury bathroom, but this upgrade provides a high return on investment for homeowners for many reasons, experts say. Not only will a new roof increase the value of your home so you recover 100% of your costs, according to a 2022 National Association of Realtors report, but it can trim insurance costs and protect your home and your belongings from severe weather damage.
When roofs fail, problems and expenses mount. Water floods into the home, roof pieces fly off and cause damage, and rooftop equipment like air conditioners and generators are destroyed.
In most years, roof-related damage is responsible for 70% to 90% of the total amount of insured property damage from a catastrophic weather event, according to the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).
“If your roof blows off, you have a ton of rain inside your home,” said Nathan Lippincott, owner of Knockout Inspections in Fairhope, Alabama. With the right roof, “95% of the rain will stay outside your home, which saves you and the insurance company.”
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What is the right roof?
Some things to consider when deciding on a roof:
- Underlayment material: the barrier layer between the roof deck and shingles to keep moisture out.
- Shingles: Asphalt shingles are the most popular because they’re relatively inexpensive and easy to…
