The roof is a crucial component of any building. Focusing some extra attention on the roof, which protects your home from wind, rain and moisture, is common sense.

Most homes have asphalt-shingled roofs. The shingles are interwoven, overlapping, water- shedding  layers. The shingles are made of part asphalt and part fiberglass or 100% asphalt. The  only  difference  is  the  bottom  layer  of  the  shingle,  called  the  base  mat.  In  so-called fiberglass shingles,  the  mat  is  a  synthesized  fiberglass  mesh.  This  mat  is  actually  lighter, stronger and longer lasting than an asphalt mat.

Knowing the condition of your roof and some guidelines about when to have a new roof installed is a good idea.

When do you need a new roof? Most roofs should last 15-20 years without leaking, some longer. If your roof is 15 years old or older, check for signs of wear. There are four progressive stages of wear to look for.

First, look for tiny chips embedded in the surface of asphalt shingles, called granules, starting to  accumulate  in  gutters  and  downspouts.  Second,  look  for  bare  patches  of  black  tar appearing, as more granules are lost. Roofs at this stage will probably not leak. You may have a year or two before needing to re-roof. Third, the tabs or exposed section of the shingles start to become brittle. This is determined by touch. After a few seasons, the tabs will start to curl noticeably to the eye. Fourth, brittle shingle tabs crack and break.  You may also see nail heads holding the shingles down beneath the broken tabs. It is likely at this point  that small leaks may start to rot the wooden roof deck and rafters even if there are no noticeable water stains on the ceiling.

If you are going to re-roof, what color should the shingles be? In general, light colors such as off-white or  grey will make a house seem larger. Unfortunately, the light colors show wear sooner, even though they will not wear out any faster than dark shingles. On the positive side, light shingles can reflect more sunlight than dark shingles, which will keep your home cooler in summer months and reduce air conditioning costs. Depending on where you live, gaining heat in winter may be more important than lowering heat in summer.  A  dark shingle in this case would be the most energy efficient choice.

THE CHIMNEY
The first step in determining if your chimney is safe is to call a professional chimney sweep. Creosote built up on the bricks or the liner could be a fire hazard and should be removed. The chimney sweep should be able to tell you if you have a liner in the chimney and if the flue is fire safe. An evaluation may also be made by a masonry contractor who builds chimneys.

If your flue is not lined, it is a good idea to have it done. There are several methods of lining an existing flue. Flexible tubing made of stainless steel can be snaked down the flue to make a continuous, fire-safe  connection between the damper and the chimney cap. Masonry mixes poured around a temporary form inside the bricks is another method of relining older flues.

Old or new home, it is a good idea to have your chimney inspected annually if you heat with wood or you have fires frequently. Otherwise, have it checked every few years.