A roof is something that a lot of us take for granted – it sits up there, protecting us from the cold and damp, and we tend to forget about it. Here are eight signs you should think about replacing your roof.
1) Its Silver Anniversary is approaching (25 years old).
Especially in our area, a properly installed, good quality asphalt shingle roof should last between twenty and thirty years. If it’s older than that – there could be problems, even if you can’t see them from the ground. Loose shingles happen over time, and with that, allow water to seep under them and increase the probability of rot.
2) Your shingles are starting to look like a bad 80’s perm.
We all know the look – curly, shaggy shingles are a sign that your roof is weathered. This is a sign that your barrier against the elements is giving up – this allows leaks in, and potentially large amounts of damage to your home.
3) You can see sunlight in your attic.
This is an obvious one. If there’s light, there’s exposure to the elements, pests and all manner of other things.
4) Your entire roof is sagging down.
This is normally a sign of a serious structural issue. This is when you should panic – and definitely call us!
5) Entire shingles are missing.
This opens up your support structures in your roof to water damage, your home to leaks, and pests. This should be fixed before it becomes a bigger issue.
6) Your shingles are cracked.
You’ll usually notice this after a bad wind storm. As shingles age, they become brittle. This is a precursor of more serious damage to come.
7) You’re finding granules in the gutter – and you don’t have a brand new roof.
The granules help protect the asphalt from the sun, so this is the first sign that your roof is aging – it’s around halfway through it’s lifespan now.
8) Your shingles are growing a garden of moss.
This isn’t worth panicking – but worth mentioning. It looks ugly, and new shingles are algae-resistant. It’s very tempting to get up there and scrape or power wash the algae off – however, we advise strongly against that. It will scrape off all your granules in the process and decrease what time you have left with your existing shingles.
If any of the above scenarios sounds like your roof – give us a call for a free estimate. We’d love to take care of you and your roof.