There are some definite indications that your roof may need repair or replacement, but you’re not sure what to look for to know where the problems lie. What are the warning signs it may be time to repair or replace your roof?
You really shouldn’t inspect your roof on your own, but something is telling you it’s time to call in a professional to give you an idea of what’s happening. Here are ten warning signs that a roofing contractor will share that show that repair or replacement are in the works.
Ten Warning Signs
- Aging Roof: If your roof is edging over the 20-25 year mark since its original installation, it’s probably time to inspect your roof to determine whether it requires repairs or replacement. When a roof gets to that age, a professional will determine whether it needs work. Have a roofing expert look at your roof at the 15-year mark, as it may only require limited repairs that will solve any insulating or safety issues, plus it could lengthen the life of your roof.
- Sagging Roof: Causes of a sagging roof could be because of an old roof or improper and faulty installation of a new roof. The rafters may have absorbed moisture, and the wood is weak and unable to function properly. If any of these issues or related problems exist, you’ll want to have roof repairs or a replacement roof as soon as possible.
- Shingles are Loose or Missing from Roof: When you see missing shingles or notice them dislodged from your roof, you know it’s time to do something about either situation. Severe winds, torrential downpours, and hail can cause shingles to rip away from a roof or cause displacement, which means they’ll have to be taken care of immediately, which isn’t that costly but lots of missing shingles could point you toward replacing the roof. You would probably need a roof inspection to determine if either repair or replacement were necessary.
- Overly High Utility Bills: A damaged roof in need of repairs or complete replacement can cause your cooling and heating bills to rise considerably and make it difficult to maintain even temperatures inside your home. When you notice that your energy bills have increased significantly, you’ll have to admit that it could be issued with your roof. If you want to keep your energy bills lower, maintain your roof and get an inspection to determine where air loss is occurring.
- Interior Damage from Water: When you see water lines and drips on your walls along with mold and mildew accumulation in attic areas, you know something is wrong. These could be signs that your roof has leaked. With any kind of major water leak that stains walls, you’ll want to schedule an inspection to find out what’s happening.
- Shingle Granule Accumulation: With asphalt or composite shingles, there will be granules that drop from your roof. If there are too many of them falling off, that could be a sign that your shingles may need to be replaced. The granules are usually coarse and black in appearance. You’ll also want to check your gutters for granule accumulation. when your gutters are full of granules, that could mean that your shingles are in terrible shape and failing. The shingles themselves will show bare spots, which shows it’s time to replace them.
- Shingle Cracking and Curling: Every shingle has a certain period of usefulness. When shingles reach the end of their longevity, they can exhibit cracking, curling and different shapes. With just a few damaged shingles, you may just replace them, but when you see many of them, it may be time to replace them on your entire roof. Curling could also be a sign that any underlying material like the decking is weak.
- Roof Discoloration: Shingles that show variation in color could produce serious roof problems, particularly when they appear to be damp or damaged. Any darker areas could mean mold is growing and causing damage. A roof inspection will help you discover the root cause.
- Roof Fixture Damage: It’s a good idea to check different places around your roof for any damage. You’ll want to look at vents, pipes, chimneys and other fixtures that could relate to your roof. Your chimney itself could cause problems, as could other ventilation fixtures. You don’t want to use any kind of tar or roof cement around these areas. A roofing company can usually repair any of these rooftop areas with waterproof fixes before any more damage occurs.
- Light Through the Attic: When you can see a significant amount of light coming through the roof boards of your attic, you are most likely cleaning up water even after any kind of storm light or heavy; you know there are issues with your roof. You can even get on top of your roof and if it feels springy when you walk over it, there could be problems with any excess moisture soaking into the underlying decking material. Whenever light passes through your roof, you could face roofing problems. If it passes through to the shingles, so can dampness from rain or wind. It could also be a sign that your shingles need replacing, or it could be the inevitability that your roof has come to the end of its life.
Conclusion
You don’t want to wait on calling in a roofing professional if there are any of the existing problems reviewed here. Call RGB Construction today at 856-264-9093 and let them inspect your roof, or if you just have general questions about roof repairs, they’ll be able to answer them and provide you with the advice you need.
