Your roof might not be on your list of home projects you'd like to tackle. It's more fun to repaint the living room or redesign your landscaping to add curb appeal to your property. Although it's tempting to lean toward cosmetic home improvements, keeping a close eye on your roof could save you money down the road.
If you find a few things about your roof that strike you as unusual, you may wonder if it's time for a replacement. Here are a few things you can look for before deciding if it's the best time to replace your roof. You may get lucky and have a quick fix on your hands. In some cases, though, it may need a total replacement:
1. Inspect Your Attic
Homeowners with an attic should climb up there regularly to look for stains, streaks or even beams of light. These are all issues that indicate a leak. You could patch a small leak here or there, but larger holes will require a bigger fix. If there are multiple stains or areas where you think you might see sunlight filtering through, act fast with a quick call to a local roofing team to prevent more significant problems down the road.
2. Examine Your Shingles
After a rainy spring season, grab a ladder and carefully examine your shingles. If you find any that are cracked or lying at an angle, the recent rains and wind could have damaged them. Make sure you check your gutters for shingle granules before putting your ladder away. Granules indicate the shingles are falling apart, which may require a total roof replacement.
3. Take a Step Back
When was the last time you took a good look at your roof from the street? Take a step back and walk around your home to view it from every angle. Some parts may sag because of months or years of rotting boards. The trapped moisture will likely result in a roof replacement because the shingles can't dry out.
4. Look for Moss
Shaded roofs or shingles around a chimney may become covered in moss over time. After the winter snow melts or summer thunderstorms pass, the water might not evaporate. It creates the perfect conditions for moss to grow, so it's a good sign that you may have some water damage in your roof. Check each time these two seasons pass to ensure there's no moss growth on your roof.
5. Check the Lifespan
An older home could require a roof replacement even if there aren't any major damages while you live there. Even the best-built roof will only last between 20-25 years before a new one should take its place. General wear and tear from decades of weather events, animals and direct sunlight could make this inevitability an immediate concern.
Check the paperwork from when you purchased your home to determine when it was built, and use that year to estimate when the roof will become past its prime. The paperwork should also indicate if the previous owners ever invested in roof repairs. Knowing this helps you fine-tune your estimate based on the property's history.
6. Investigate the Flashing
Every roof uses flashing to prevent leaks from forming around chimneys, corners and other parts of your home's exterior walls. Unless your home has steel flashing, this sealing material could erode from exposure to the elements. Although some areas may only need a simple resealing, replacing your roof may save you time and money compared to patching leaks continually.
Consider an Inspection
There's no hard and fast answer if you're wondering when is the best time to replace your roof. It depends on certain factors like the age of your home and how often you inspect it.
If you have any questions or concerns, a team of professionals will help you find the answers you need by using their expertise to catch problem spots. It's always better to know what's going on with your roof rather than wait until it's too late.
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