Roof replacement is a huge expense that most homeowners find easy to neglect. Nevertheless, replacing your roof offers sufficient protection to your property. Roof replacement is a good investment, especially if you plan on selling your home, as it ensures a high return on investment. When professionally done, roof replacement can be an energy-saving home improvement, ensuring low energy costs. Using the new roofing systems with heat deflection technologies, you can keep your home cooler without consuming a lot of energy to maintain house temperature.
Besides giving your home a fresh look, a new roof ensures long-term protection from heavy snowfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, and other weather elements, giving you peace of mind. Curb appeal is an immense contributor to successful home showings and a source of satisfaction and pride for homeowners. Your home curb appeal improves instantly with a roof replacement, attracting prospective buyers.
Failure to replace your roof may result in water damage, destabilizing the roof. It may also lead to health risks resulting from mold damage. Ignoring roof replacement can damage your roof’s structure, causing it to collapse. It also causes home devaluation and could lead to you paying more to have the roof fixed. Here are the signs your home needs a new roof.
Aging or outdated roof
A high-quality roof that’s properly maintained can offer superior performance and protection for decades. Your roof’s lifespan depends on the roofing material used and extreme weather elements. Sun exposure may accelerate wear and tear, especially for dark roofing materials, causing the roof to age. Poor ventilation, inadequate insulation, and poor installation contribute to roof aging.
Lack of care and attention towards your roof causes it not to reach its expected lifespan, aging early. If you notice signs that your roof is aging or want to adopt new roofing technologies, it could be time to get a new roof. With roofing experts like Landmark Roofing, you can get advice on the best roofing materials for your home and also have access to professional roofing services.
Leaky roof
Regular roof inspections, particularly after rainfall, can help you determine the extent of damage your leaking roof can do. If the leaks are beyond repair or repairing them may cost more than they should, replace your roof. To confirm roof leaks, go to the attic and look for water intrusion signs because a severe leak is most likely to start from there. You should also inspect the roof from outside for ice dams because when running water encounters them, it starts to run under the shingles and maybe end up in your home.
Mold and mildew growth
If you notice mildew or mold growing on your ceiling or walls, it could be a leaky roof, plumbing, or condensation issue. To determine the real cause of the problem, ensure your home is adequately ventilated, keep the insulation dry, and ensure the bathroom fixtures and plumbing lines aren’t leaking..
Roof rot
Roof rot may be due to humidity resulting from attic temperature changes, temperature condensation, and ventilation issues. It occurs because of excess moisture in the attic. Roof rot could also be because of a water leak in the roof, causing water to seep into the attic. You may notice roof rot signs through a roof inspection, including missing shingles or torn flashing, ceiling water damage, mold growth in the attic, excessive moss or algae growth, and a sunken roof deck. If the roof inspection report suggests that the rot is beyond repair, you should opt to replace your roof.
Saggy roof
A sag or saddleback in the middle of your roof could be a structural damage warning sign and may lead to your roof collapsing if not detected and handled early enough. Roof sagging may result from frequent moisture and vast water exposure, poor installation regardless of quality roofing materials, defective roofing materials, and a lot of weight on the roof from ice and snow. To prevent sagging, keep the roof free from rainwater, use high-quality roofing materials, ensure the roof is installed correctly, and know how much weight the roof can tolerate.
Damaged flashing
Roof flashing is the material around your roof vents and chimney. It’s meant to prevent water movement into the roof by diverting it from the seams with greater water runoff. Your flashing can get damaged because of the deterioration or drying out of the caulking material below the flashing, caused by oxidation or weather. Loose flashing can also cause water seeps and ceiling and wall leaks, causing extensive, irreparable damage to your roofing structure.
Light coming through the roof
At sunset, turn off your lights and look up at your roof to see if there’s any light coming through. If you notice light coming in, it could mean that your roof has holes and cracks, which you should attend to immediately. Be sure to have your roof inspected to determine if repairs can fix the issue or you require a new roof.
Water damage in the attic
Moisture marks, gray, yellow, or brown stains, and peeling paint could indicate a damaged roof. Attic water damage may be caused by roof leakages, poor attic ventilation, and appliance or insulation failures. If you notice it early, you can repair the roof, ventilate and insulate the attic, and vent appliances to the outside. If the damage is extensive and can’t be fixed, replace the roof.
Missing granules
Shingles may lose granules due to age or weather, making the roof appear bare or patchy. Poorly installed or low-quality shingles can lose granules quickly, causing quicker wear. Since granules protect the roof and shingles, losing them results in faster roof decay. If the granules are missing, you may have to replace your roof.
Endnote
Your roof serves as protection against extreme weather elements, rodents, and other dangers. Look out for these signs to determine if your home needs a new roof. Regular inspections and roof maintenance routines can prolong your roof’s life, serving you longer.
