LESLIE: Alright. Now I’ve got Mary from Delaware on the line who’s got a roofing question. How can we help you today?
MARY: Thank you for being there for all of us and I do love your show.
LESLIE: Thank you so much.
TOM: Alright. How can we help you?
MARY: I think I’m going to need a new roof and I don’t know who to go to, what to ask for. Any good suggestions for me?
TOM: Well, sure. First of all, why do you think that you do need a new roof?
MARY: Well, I had a small leak in one of the closets; very small.
TOM: Mm-hmm. OK.
MARY: And I don’t know – I haven’t had anybody come out yet.
TOM: OK. Now how old is your house, Mary?
MARY: Oh, it’s 47 years old.
TOM: Has the roof been around for a good part of that or do you know how old the roof is?
MARY: We did have a roof replaced maybe 14, 15 years ago.
TOM: OK. Yeah. OK, so the roof’s at the end of a normal life cycle. That said, the fact that you had a leak does not mean you have to run out and buy a new roof. Leaks are typically very repairable. Even though a roofer may try to talk you into replacing the roof, that may not necessarily be the case.
Now, if it turns out you do need a new roof, there are a lot of options for you in terms of the shingles that are available today. I will suggest you take a look at Owens Corning. They have lots of excellent roofing products with really good warranties and they also have a type of roof called a “cool roof,” which reflects, I believe, about 30 percent of the sun’s heat back out.
MARY: Oh, that sounds wonderful.
TOM: So that makes it – makes your house a lot cooler in the summertime.
MARY: Ah, that’s wonderful. Thank you, my good friends, for being there for all of us; especially for me.
TOM: Alright, Mary.
MARY: I need all the help I can get.
TOM: Sounds like you’re doing just fine. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
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