Tennessee roof replacement: What to know about shingles, wind ratings and granules
The sky can fall on a home quickly without a roof in good working order, which makes that covering a vital piece of buying, selling and maintaining a house with Tennessee's storms and heat providing some unique challenges.
We asked Dale Payne, owner of Sumner Roofing & Exteriors, and Paul Olson, general manager of Tim Leeper Roofing, for insight on what homeowners and prospective homeowners should know about roofs.
When should a roof be replaced?
Granules found at the bottom of downspouts or gutters after being washed away by rain is a sign shingles are wearing thin, Payne said. Granules protect the water-resistant asphalt and the fiberglass base that Olson describes as the “backbone of a roof.”
Sometimes a whiter or lighter look in patches on a roof is a sign granules are being washed away with the fiberglass showing through. Missing, cracked or creased shingles are also signs the entire roof may need maintenance. Worn pipe boots that serve as plumbing vents is another indicator.
Light brown stains inside a home can indicate leaking. But leaks don’t always make it to the home’s interior and may not get beyond the attic and insulation.
Roofing options
Basically there are two types of standard shingles for a home.
One is a 50-year “dimensional” or architectural shingle that Payne estimates makes up approximately 80% of roofs in Middle Tennessee. There is also a three-tab shingle marketed to last 25 years, but it is being used less with new construction and roof replacements.
Metal roofs are also an option for some homeowners and businesses.
Costs and warranties
There are different grades of the 50-year architectural shingle that usually start with a rating to hold up to 115 mph winds.
A limited warranty is generally offered for 50 years but on a sliding scale — such as a full guarantee the first 10 years and then partial warranties. A manufacturer sometimes banks on a homeowner moving well within that time and the warranty not transferring to the new owner. Payne estimates an architectural shingle lasts 30-40 years.
A three-tab shingle, which can have a wind rating of 60 mph, Olson said, can carry a sliding scale warranty for 25 years.
Costs vary depending on the size of the roof, steepness and other variables, but Olson estimates a $10,000-$15,000 range for most new agricultural shingle roofs for homes in the 2,000 square-foot neighborhood. Three-tab shingles are less expensive and metal roofs considerably more expensive, Payne said.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Replacing a roof in Tennessee: What to know about shingles, wind
