The roof of a house is one of its most important elements, so it’s important to do your best to keep it in good shape all through. While you can inspect your roof on a regular basis to ensure that nothing goes wrong, it’s a good idea to learn about some warning signs to look out for. These signs could come up in between inspections that you’re getting done, and they can alert you to act fast and save your roof as a result. Keeping your roof in great shape should count for not just the structure and function, but for appeal as well, since an aesthetic roof helps boost your curb appeal significantly. Here are 10 of these signs so that you know when to replace your home’s roof with a better one so that you don’t have to deal with an unpleasant surprise.
1. Your Roof Is Old
The first sign that you need to reach out to your local roofing contractors is if you know that your roof is old. This is because the roof, like any other element in your house, has an expiry date. The aesthetic roof can weather a number of storms, but as it ages, it’s going to start looking less than ideal. That said, you shouldn’t rely on appearances only, since the structure may fail before the surface does. This is one of the main reasons why you need to keep tabs on the actual age of your roof, remembering that different materials will have a range of lifespans.
If you built your house yourself, or you’ve replaced the roof at some point while living in the house, you need to be aware of its age. If you bought the house, check around to see whether you can find any evidence of the age of your roof, such as warranties for roof installation. If this is also not an option that’s available for you, you could keep an eye out to see when a large number of your neighbors are replacing their roofs. This should alert you to the fact that your roof is also quite likely to need a replacement. Replacing the roof before it fails can go a long way to help you avoid an unpleasant surprise.
2. Your Roof Is Bowing
Another sign that you need to replace the roof is if you see the roof bowing. This is a serious sign because it shows that the roof’s structure has failed. An aesthetic roof is one that’s in as good shape as it was when it was installed, and bowing takes away from the appeal of the roof without a doubt. If you can see that the roof has a visible bow along its straight lines when you look at it from the ground, this is a sure sign that it’s about to fail. In this case, the only solution is a replacement because the damage has more than likely reached below the surface level.
If your home has asphalt shingle roofing, for example, structural damage that causes the roof to bow is likely to also displace the shingles. In this case, it’s best that you call your local roofers to take a look at it and work on a fix. Remember that you may be able to salvage a bowing roof, but this is only true for some instances and not every single one. That’s why it’s crucial that you keep an open mind so that you get the best solution.
3. There Are Missing Shingles
A roof that has many missing shingles is also one that needs to be replaced as soon as possible. That’s because shingles will typically last for a certain duration before they begin to fall apart. This means that they’ll no longer be able to provide your roof with the coverage that it needs. After years of exposure to the elements, the individual shingles and the materials keeping them together are sure to wear out and simply fail. This is one of the biggest reasons for roof replacement in cases where an aesthetic roof is a crucial part of the house in general.
Missing shingles are also going to affect the structure itself, which means that they’re not simply an aesthetics issue. They expose the structure underneath to the elements, which can cause rapid wear and tear and leave your roof weak. That said, local roof repairs should be on your list of priorities if you discover that there are many missing shingles. This is because the roof is likely to start deteriorating at an accelerated rate after the shingles become impacted.
4. You Want a New Material
Another reason you may need to replace the roof is if you want to get an aesthetic roof with a new material. A new material is bound to help with more than just appearance since it can also affect details such as energy efficiency in your home. One of the best examples of a roof that can improve your home’s energy efficiency is metal roofing. This is a material that’s also durable, lightweight, and fire-resistant. If these are all benefits that you’d like to enjoy with your home’s roof, talk to your local roofers about a replacement and shop around for a good roofing material to install.
Changing the material of your roof is a great way to change the way your entire house looks, especially if you pair this upgrade with something like landscaping. You’ll be happy to come back home to a pleasant and attractive house at the end of every day. As a plus, this roof should be installed properly, with its layout working well with the overall design of your house.
5. There’s Moss Growing
While moss can make for an aesthetic roof if you have a living roof, it’s not the case for any other type of roof. In fact, moss is evidence of damage to the roof that allows water to stand on it for longer than it needs to. This provides the ideal dwelling for moss, which will lead to more damage and subsequent failure of the roof in a short time. Roof companies all know that water damage is not something to play with, since it can have devastating consequences in the end. As such, adding roof replacement to your future plans in this case is the way to go.
Make sure that when replacing a roof, in this case, it’s important to think about the climate of the area where your home is. If you live in a place that stays humid and wet for a significant part of the year, you need to pick the right roofing material. Talk to your local roofers and ask them for suggestions, since they more than likely know the least problematic roof to get in this case.
6. Your Neighbors Are Getting a New Roof
Another valid reason why you may want to replace your roof is if, as mentioned earlier, your neighbors are doing the same. This is based on the fact that houses in a given neighborhood are generally going to be around the same age. That means that if a number of your neighbors’ roofing has reached its expiry date, then there’s a high possibility that yours has reached this age as well. Unless you’ve replaced your roof recently as a result of damage or some other issue, then you should know that it’s the same age as those of your neighbors.
Talking to your local roofing service in this case should help you to get an aesthetic roof that’s also practical and structurally sound. Don’t forget that your house is also exposed to the same conditions as your neighbor’s houses. This means that any wear and tear that’s come about as a result of the elements will apply to all the houses in the neighborhood that have a similar design and that are made of the same materials.
7. Your Warranty’s Expiring
If you replaced your roof yourself, there’s a good chance that you got a warranty, given that the roof is one of the most expensive elements in a house. That said, if your warranty is nearing its expiration date, this should alert you to the possibility that you need to replace the roof. That’s because the warranty is meant to cover a certain duration of natural use of the roof in question. It’s common knowledge that any time beyond this is simply extra time, and failure is a possibility in this case.
A new roof install that comes without a warranty is something to be suspicious about since the warranty gives you an idea of how long you can be assured that your roof will be in good shape. That said, you can also expect that the aesthetic roof you installed a while ago will lose its appeal as it gets older. This may not happen at the same pace as structural degeneration, but it may be a sign of what’s to happen soon.
8. There’s a Leak
A leak in your roof is a sure sign that you need to call your local roofers to do a replacement right away. That’s because there are a number of layers through which water on the roof needs to get past before it ends up inside the house. With this in mind, the more or larger the leaks, the more urgency with which you need to work on a replacement. This is an issue that goes beyond just having an aesthetic roof, and so you should treat it with the urgency that it needs.
A leaking roof is also going to damage many other elements in your house. These include the ceiling, the walls, and even the foundation. As such, you need to deal with a leaking roof as soon as you possibly can. This will help you take the best care of your entire home, and you can be sure that the results will be worth writing home about.
9. There’s Sunlight in Your Attic
If you can see sunlight in your attic when you look up, this is not the stuff that sweet dreams are made of. Instead, it’s a sign that you need to start thinking about roof replacement. That’s because if sunlight can filter through to the attic, there’s significant damage to the roof. Whether this is because of age or there has been an event that damaged the roof, it’s important to work on a replacement right away because the damage will only get worse with time.
While residential roof construction places emphasis on getting an aesthetic roof at the end, it’s important to also think about the structure and function. These two additional details will save you money and give you peace of mind since they can assure you of getting a solid roof that will withstand the test of time. Remember to think about each of these details when you’re shopping for a replacement roof, and you may get the right one for your home.
10. You’re Selling Your Home
Finally, if you intend to put your home up for sale, one of the best things that you can do is to replace the roof. This is a project that’s known to offer amazing returns, and it can also help you make a faster sale. In this case, talk to residential roofing services in your area to see what the best roof replacement that you could get is. You can be sure that potential home buyers who come across your home will prioritize it over other homes if it has a new roof. That’s because they’ll know that they won’t have to deal with roof replacements shortly after spending money on a home purchase.
These are the 10 main signs that you need to start shopping for a roof replacement as soon as possible. You stand to benefit immensely from doing the replacement fast since you save yourself the hassle and general issues brought about by a failed roof. Remember to only work with experienced professionals, since the integrity of a roof will depend on more than just the material and design of the roof in question. It’s also going to depend on the installation, which makes it important to ensure that this is done in the best possible way so that the cost is well worth it.
