Deciding whether your roof needs to be repaired or replaced isn't always an easy decision. Assuming your roof will last forever with zero maintenance is a common misconception amongst homeowners. Here are some tips for maintaining your roof, deciding whether your roof needs to be replaced or not, when to replace it and what to consider. Learn about all of the different types of roofs available to fit your budget and home style.

• If there are trees near your house, trim the branches so that they do not touch the roof.
• Clean your roof with a pressure washer or a hose bi-annually to remove leaves, debris, dirt, and bird feces. If left on the roof for long periods of time, the roof will start to deteriorate. But be careful as roofs are sometimes slippery when covered in debris, especially tile roofs.
• Make sure that leaves haven't built up in your gutter system.
• After a storm, check for broken tiles or torn or damaged shingles. Also check the flashings around vents and chimneys.
• If there are many missing or torn shingles on your roof, it could be cheaper and more effective to have the entire roof replaced instead of fixing individual shingles.
• Many broken tiles may indicate an on-going issue and in the long run a roof replacement would be more cost beneficial to the home or business owner.
• An estimated 75% of homes have deficient attic ventilation, where soaring temperatures can drive up energy costs and diminish the life span of roofing underlayment's. You may need to upgrade your attic ventilation to reduce energy costs and to elongate the lifetime of your roof.
• Check your ceiling for any brown/yellow spots. Theses spots indicate water damage.
• Remember that finding the damage isn't always easy because the water will build up at the lowest point of the ceiling. Leaving this problem too long may cause the problem to escalate and the result could be structural damage to your property.
• If you can visually see damage from the outside, i.e. rotten wood, but cannot yet detect any damage inside you should call a roofing expert to assess the damage that is visible.
• If you are unable to get onto your roof, call a roofing expert to give your roof an inspection.

The type of roof you will choose for your home will depend on your budget, type of structure, design of your house, as well as the function you will need from the roofing materials you choose. Here are some of the roofs available on the market.

• Shingles - Popular for its cost-to-quality ratio, shingles are available in many colors to match your home and are durable, reliable and easy to maintain throughout the life of the roof. They all come with a Class "A" fire rating and have 20yr – lifetime warranties.
• Cedar Shakes – or other types of wood shingles give a natural look that increases the beauty and adds value of your home.
• Concrete Tiles - Here in the Phoenix desert region, most homes are built with clay or concrete tiles. Concrete tile offers the best solution from a functional and energy efficient perspective. While the concrete tile itself may last up to 50 years, the felt underlayment may last no more than 15-20 years. Most homeowners don't realize that the tile is only the protective covering; while the felt underlayment is the waterproofing membrane.
• Clay Tiles - roofs have represented the handy-work of skilled craftsman. From old missions with clay tiles hand-molded over knees, to modern processes creating patterns and colors which allure the eye to our beautiful architectural structures.
• SPF Roofs (Spray Polyurethane Foam) - is a technologically advanced product that can be sprayed onto a roof. This type of roof is extremely effective due to its high R-value, it is environmentally friendly and an added advantage is that it insulates as well as protects your roof. Foam can be lowered or raised to enhance drainage on roofs with small puddle problems.
• Built-Up Roofing – known commonly in the industry under the acronym BUR, is also referred to as hot tar roofing. This type of roofing has been in use for more than 150 years, so we know that it does an excellent job of protecting buildings. In fact, it is one of the strongest roofs available.
• Metal roofs – can last for over 50 years and are made from metals such as copper, tin, steel or aluminum. Metal roofs are able to deflect heat and they should be installed by a professional roofing contractor.

Many property owners know little about detecting roof leaks and appropriate solutions for different applications. Visit the website for your roofing inspection to determine the cause, source and necessary action that needs to be taken to repair your roofing problems.