Is it time to Get a New Roof? How Can I Tell? The Major Warning Signs

After living in your home for at least a decade or two, it’s probably hit you to ask these conjoining questions: “Is it time to get a new roof? How can I tell?” You’re smart asking these questions because far too many homeowners forget about how important their roofs are. Too many mistakenly think roofing can hold up forever.

The general age of a roof is around 20 to 25 years, so if you’ve only lived in your home for a decade, you may still have time. However, if you bought the home recently and it’s decades old, did you have the roof checked over by a professional?

If not, your roof is possibly decades old without you knowing. Even though you haven’t seen any signs of problems recently, they can come on suddenly. Many times, these signs come on after inclement weather like heavy rain or snow, though not always.

What’s important to know is that some roofing issues are more obvious than others. Some issues are subtle and require an expert opinion to scope them out.

It’s time to have an experienced, trustworthy, and certified roofer inspect your roof annually. They’ll determine if you need major or minor repairs. But here are the major warning signs you definitely need a new roof.

Deteriorating Shingles

The shingles on your roof are what keep water from leaking in, and when these deteriorate, you’re extremely vulnerable to massive or slow leaks. Sometimes the damage is obvious, despite variances. One way to tell is if your shingles look like they’re curling or buckling. This is usually the result of being exposed to sunlight for years.

Another major sign is when the granules on your shingles start flaking off. You may see granules in your gutters as a sure sign. Regardless, lost granules aren’t always visible to the naked eye. A roofer can examine your shingles carefully to see whether they’re aging. Some shingles can get replaced individually, though mass damage typically means a new roof is necessary.

Problems Around Roof Valleys

The valleys on your roof are an important section that help funnel rain and snow into your gutters. These roofing areas need a careful inspection because missing shingles there could soon mean leaks. That’s especially the case when you have a deluge of rain or a major snowstorm.

You’ll know when you start seeing water spots on your ceiling. It’s best to let a professional inspect your roof valleys since these sloping spots could become dangerous to walk on for an inexperienced person. A roofer checks to see if you have missing shingles over this roof section as maybe the result of a massive windstorm.

Algae on Your Roof

Airborne algae is another part of nature wreaking havoc on your roof. While it doesn’t necessarily cause physical damage, it’s a major aesthetic problem that leaves dark streaks. Despite algae streaks being removable, you need care when doing this because a high-pressure hose can knock the granules off your shingles.

Not everyone has the physical ability to clean algae, so a new roof is perhaps better for you to maintain your home’s appearance.

Moss on Your Roof

Another nuisance of nature is moss that can easily grow across your roof within a year’s time. It goes beyond being a cosmetic issue and potentially causes serious damage to your shingles. The reason: moss has moisture that seeps into the roof’s surface, hence causing damage to shingle granules over time. When you have excessive freezing temperatures, having this frozen moisture in place could cause damage fairly quickly.

Scraping moss off your roof can sometimes become a risky job doing it yourself. You’re better off hiring a professional roofer who can inspect the moss and see if you need new shingles.

Beams of Light Shining Through Your Attic Roof

A more safe way to inspect roof problems is by going into your attic and seeing if you can see sunlight coming. When you see beams of light shining through the attic ceiling, you know your roof is aging badly.

Water stains and streaks in the attic are another sure sign of roofing issues. Even so, these are more subtle signs and you need good light to know correctly. A certified roofer works inside your home as well as directly on the roof. They’ll go into your attic and inspect it with professional lighting equipment to give you an accurate diagnosis.

Flashing Around Your Chimney, Vents, and Skylights

If you don’t know what flashing is, it’s the material placed around chimneys and roof vents to protect from water coming in. Unfortunately, many homes built decades ago used cheaper materials, namely roofing cement, and tar. These aren’t going to hold up for long, and you’ll definitely need new flashing after at least a decade.

The best repair option is metal flashing that holds up for many years. Before work occurs, your roofer inspects the flashing to see if it truly has cracks or breaks.

Sagging Spots

Any sags you notice in your roof can lead to major roofing issues, especially after a heavy snowstorm. Your roof could literally collapse if you have a major sag and the weight of snow stays there for days.

Again, your professional roofer inspects thoroughly for sags, because sometimes they aren’t visible from inside your home.

Contact us here at BRAX Roofing so our dedicated roofing team can help scope out roofing issues while providing the best new roofing options in your area.