5 Signs Your Roof Needs To Be Replaced
Whether it was damaged by harsh weather conditions or has simply grown too old, roofs are bound to be replaced sooner or later. Although you can just repair your roof for most situations, sometimes it is best to replace the whole thing to save both time and money. Unlike replacing furniture and home appliances, it may be difficult to know when and why you need to fix up and change your roof. That being said, here are 5 signs that your roof needs to be replaced.
Age of Your Roof
One of the more noticable indicators that your roof needs to be replaced is if it is becoming old. A roof's typical lifespan is 20-30 years, depending on how frequently it is repaired. However, regardless if it is in good shape and has been maintained over the years, a roof that has not been replaced in the past 30 years is more prone to damages and puts you and your family at risk. If you are having trouble assessing the age of your roof and if it needs changing, it is recommended to contact a reputable professional roofer for an inspection.
Missing/Curling Shingles
If you have an asphalt roof, it is essential that you inspect your shingles on a regular basis throughout the year, especially after severe weather. This increases your chances of detecting missing or damaged singles before they become a more challenging issue to manage. For example, when checking the gutters and downspouts on the top of your home, you may detect granules from your roof's shingles, which are signs that you should replace your roof. Even though these types of damages may be repaired, if there are many to fix, it would be more time and cost effective to just replace the entire roof.
Daylight Shining
One way to check up on your roof without having to actually go on top of it is by visiting your attic. If you go up there and notice any daylight shining through the decking, you will need to replace your roof as soon as possible because if you don’t, you are bound to experience even worse problems. For example, if your area experiences any type of storm, it is more than likely for water and heat to leak through these cracks, causing your home to experience severe destruction.
Water Damage
Although leakage through your roof can be repaired, damages like dark stains and streaky lines or patches of green, calls for a roofing replacement. These spots and dark streaks are caused by mold, fungus or moisture build up, which can negatively affect the structure of your roof. Furthermore, regardless of the size, these types of water damages need to be addressed with more caution because moisture build up not only affects your house, but can potentially affect your health as well.
Flashing
Flashing is an important component of your roof. Flashing is a curved sheet metal that is placed in the intersections of roof slopes, as well as around any openings in the roof, such as chimneys and vents. The flashing gathers and directs intense flows of water to the gutters of your roof. Flashing around chimneys and other openings assists in preventing water from infiltrating the roof in any vulnerable region. If your flashing is old, rusted, or has holes, it may be approaching the end of its life cycle. Although flashing may be fixed without replacing the entire roof, if you believe that the flashing has experienced extreme damage, it would be better to completely replace the roof.
Even though roofing replacements are a common investment that all homeowners make, it is difficult at times to truly know when it is time to change a roof. Some indicators that will help you know that your roof has officially reached its end are ageing, missing or damaged shingles, daylight shining, water damages and the condition of the flashing of your roof. By looking out for these signs, you are more than likely to know when and why your roof needs replacing.
