Having a solid roof on your house is crucial to a leak-free home, which holds in heat or AC, keeps your house free from damage inside and is safe for the occupants. There are certain things to be aware of when assessing if you need a new roof.
The average lifespan on an asphalt shingle roof is about 20-30 years. If your roof is 25 years old or older, you should look into having an inspection that may show you need to replace your roof. Even if the roof does not look like it is worn, many times, there are underlying issues that need to be addressed and the roof may need to be replaced.
If the shingles on your roof can visibly be seen curling, your roof may need to be replaced. There are two types of curling to look for- cupping and clawing. Cupping is when the edges of the shingle can be observed turning upward. Clawing is when the edges are all still intact, but the shingle’s center starts to come from the roof. These kinds of shingle damage are signs of severe weathering and may indicate a problem with your roof. These issues are a sign that leaks are likely to happen shortly if the roof doesn’t already have small leaks at this point. Until you need to replace your roof when you are at this point can be anywhere from one year to five years.
An undeniable sign that you need to replace your roof is if you can see the entire roof is sagging. This is an extreme example and can be an indication of structural damage. In this case, you need to call a professional immediately and will need to replace your roof.
If the roof is at a point where you can see through any area completely, even in a small spot from the attic, this is a sign you need to replace your roof. Check to see if you can see light coming in any attic areas, because if sunlight can get in, so can cold air and water. Small leaks may be patched depending on the age of the roof, but many times, this is a sign that the entire roof needs to be replaced.
Shingles can accumulate moss or algae on them over time, but if you see excessive amounts on your roof, this is a sign you may need to replace the roof. Sometimes this can be a cosmetic issue that people think they can fix, but do not ever power wash or scrape away the algae or moss, causing more damage. If you live in an area where conditions are ideal for moss or algae growth, consider replacing the shingles with algae-resistant ones.
If you see shingles missing from your roof there are ways of solving this without replacing the entire roof. But this can be a sign that there are other underlying issues or that your roof is reaching its lifespan. In some cases, you can replace shingles in a small area but be prepared for the new shingles not to match the old ones’ color.
Another sign of weathering shingles is cracking. The most common cause of this can be wind damage. If there are only a few shingles that are cracked, then you can replace them. However if the cracking is not isolated to one small area and is random over the entire roof, this is a telltale sign that you need to replace your entire roof. The lifespan left after you discover this issue is only about three to five years.
