When showing off your home, the roof is rarely the first thing a potential buyer thinks about. Unless your roof is in terrible shape, most roofs are passable from a distance, and only the most committed homebuyer will bring their own ladder to climb up and inspect the shingles. So in that regard, the appearance of your roof is not going to impact the cost of your home.But there are some roof issues that really stand out and can be cause for concern for a buyer, even if the problem is not as severe as it seems. We’ll examine a few of these issues that can pop up, and explain how to deal with them to keep your roof from bringing down the value of your home.
Streaking
Streaking is both unsightly and unattractive. If you live in a state with high humidity (like Michigan) there is a higher chance of streaking on your roof. There are a number of reasons why those dark streaks appear on your roof, like dirt accumulation and mold. But the most common culprit is Gloeocapsa Magma, a blue-green algae that builds up over time. It doesn’t do any damage to your home, but it’s not pleasing to the eyes when a prospective buyer visits your home for the first time. It’s obvious enough that it’s going to catch their eye.
To combat these algae spores, you can buy algae-resistant shingles, or you can invest in a chemical wash that will remove the streaks from your roof.
Either way, you need to address the matter if you want to make a good first impression.
Bumpy roof shingles
Curling shingles on your roof can start to look like a piece of bacon in a hot skillet that’s curling up as the fat renders down and the meat starts to sizzle. While bacon is delicious, there’s nothing tasty about shingles that look damaged to the naked eye. Even though there isn’t technically anything wrong with these shingles, you can run into a problem trying to get your home’s asking price if you let these pieces of your roof go uncared for.
Most of the time, the problem can be fixed on your own, with the only cost being your investment in new shingles. If you have a ladder, work gloves, a hammer and nails (and you aren’t afraid of heights) you can easily repair curled & cupped roof shingles.
Flashing
Flashing is simply material used on a roof to cover joints so that water won’t seep into your home. The flashing is usually made out aluminum or galvanized steel. So if your roof is a darker color, the flashing can stand out, which means rust or wear is also going to stand out.
To fix the problem (especially if the flashing problem is visible from street level) you need to rip out the old flashing and replace with new material. This can be done by chipping out the mortar around the flashing and replacing with new material and new caulking. If the problem is very bad, then you’ll need to replace a few rows of shingles, as well. At this point, we recommend bringing in an experienced roofer to fix the problem.
If the roof has more problems that require more than just simple fixes, it’s time to ask yourself if replacing the roof is a feasible option. According to Remodeling Magazine, you will recoup approximately 70 percent of the cost of replacing the roof if you go that route and put your home up for sale.
The state of your roof is not going to make or break the sale of your home, but it can negatively impact the value of your home if you don’t take care of it. But with a few simple fixes, you can ensure the buyers won’t be turned off upon first sight.
