Signs You Might Need A New Roof

How often do you look at your roof? And a quick glance backing out of the driveway won’t provide you the proper information. Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t really look at their roof until there is a problem. Make sure to perform a visual inspection of both the interior and exterior of your roof at least once a year. Below are a few tips for inspecting your roof and the signs you might need a new roof in the near future.

An interior inspection often starts in the attic. Use a flashlight to check for stains and streaks on the plywood as well as any moisture in the insulation or signs of mold/mildew. Also, check for any sunlight coming through the roof boards or any sagging. When inspecting the plywood deck, look for signs of delaminating. Delaminating is when the layers making up the plywood begin to separate and is a sign of moisture damage. Something as simple as a consistently increasing heating bill can also be an indicator that your roof isn’t performing as well as it should. 

When performing an exterior inspection, visually inspect the roof from the yard or road. It isn’t recommended that homeowners walk on their own roofs to do an inspection – it’s too dangerous. Our teams are trained in using the proper fall protection gear to safely inspect your roof. Depending on the type of roofing material you currently have, you’ll notice different signs wear and tear during your inspection.  

Cedar Shakes – If you notice any cedar shakes buckling or cracking, these are key indicators. Oftentimes pieces of cedar shake will come off the roof and be in the yard after a windstorm.  When that starts to occur, it’s time to call in a professional to do a more thorough inspection.

Asphalt Shingles – When cleaning your gutters, you may see lots of sand or grit in your gutters. These are the granules wearing off your shingles. With time and exposure to intense weather, the shingles start breaking down and these granules easily come off the shingles. Granules building up in your gutters are one of the first signs of an aging roof. Excessive moss and algae growth must be inspected as it can drastically shorten the lifespan of your shingles. This article has more information on managing moss on your roof. Shingles curling upwards, cracked shingles and missing shingles are also signs that a new roof may be required in the near future.

Concrete Tile – Most often homeowners will know their concrete tiles are giving them issues when they start leaking. Everyone thinks a concrete tile roof lasts 50 years but the reality is in our climate replacements happen around the 20-30 year mark due to the warming and freezing cycles that cause concrete tiles to erode and crack. Cracked tiles are a strong indication that you will need to replace your roof because it is very difficult to replace cracked concrete tiles without breaking the surrounding tiles. For more information on repairing or replacing concrete roofs, we have a more detailed article here.

The general rule of thumb is that after your roof is beyond 15 years old it’s probably time to get a professional opinion and have your roof inspected. Contact us today for your free roof replacement estimate.