The new year means checking your roof too

You want your home to look better and be a little more energy efficient too. Maybe, with the coming of a new year, it’s time to go straight to the top: to the roof. And sometimes, going there won’t cause you the pain you might expect; sometimes, a new look may simply mean, well, a bath.

“If the roof is not ready for replacement we will suggest a roof cleaning. If done properly this will not damage the roof in fact it can prolong the life of the roof,” says Mike Willis of Auer Roofing in Melbourne, who explains that a clean roof is a better working roof over a less-expensive operating house

“When a roof is covered with a dark algae or mildew, it can greatly reduce the roof’s useful life and cause more energy consumption to keep the home cooler (while) making the house look bad,” he says.

But if it is time for that new roof, pay attention to the colors and materials you’ll use. A good roofer will make good suggestions.  “Energy efficiency or ‘go-green’ seem to be the big topics lately in the roofing industry. Unfortunately, the options we have are expensive. I have noticed that Energy Star-rated shingles that qualify for the tax rebate cost so much more that the $ 1,500 credit. That does little to off set the total price,” he says. “So I always suggest homeowners choose the lightest colors possible while trying to stay with their color schemes.”

Auer Roofing in Melbourne is on track to be part of an overall home improvement system. having teamed with Steve Mundine Construction, a custom home builder.

“Steve and I are state certified general contractors and we know our combined knowledge and experience will be a great benefit for our customers . . . Steve has been a premiere builder in this area for years and has built homes in the $2 million range . . . . We want to offer the convenience of being the one-stop shop for the construction industry in Brevard County residents.”

What to look for when you want your roof cleaned:

Will warns that without the proper training and insurance, a non-licensed contractor “can cause irreversible damage to your home, or worse, fall off a slippery roof and sue the homeowner.”

— A licensed and insured roofing contractor who understands roofing systems, care and maintenance. “I have seen jobs where a non professional had cleaned a tile roof and caused thousands of dollars in damage due to broken tile,” says Mike Willis.

— Truthful quotes. “If you get a quote for work to be done and it’s half the price of a professional contractor be skeptical, most likely it’s cheaper because they do not have the overhead of running a legal business,” Willis says.