The principal challenge that roofs have to overcome these days is the climate change that has become very erratic and intense in many parts of the country with accompanying high winds, heavy rain, hail storms, and heavy snowfall, You can always call a roofing contractor to assess the condition of your roof and advise whether repair or replacement is the best option.
The best type of roofing
Just like the need of remodeling your house or even bathroom remodel, it is essential that your roof will always be in tip-top condition. Two of the most important factors in determining the lifespan of any roof are the quality of the roofing material selected and proper installation. Every major roofing contractor cited the merits and impact of new material resistant polymers and coatings that are much more durable and are longer lasting than materials used in previous generations.
When do you need roof repair?
Do visual inspection of your roof a couple of time annually to catch issues before they become serious.
1. Take a look at the shingles themselves; if there is any crack, has curled corners or edges, or dented looks or appearance of missing granules, these are bad signs that your roof needs repair or even replacement.
2. Notice sludge of granules and shreds of shingles inside rain gutters as this means your roof is in the process of deteriorating so you act fast before it gets worse: either repair or replacement.
3. When streaks or dark spots or algae growth are evident, these show that moisture has entered and an indication of that your roof needs immediate repair or even replacement..
4. Check the crawlspace of your attic regularly and look for signs of moisture such as staining water, growth of mold & mildew, or water pooling in some places. Look for leaks and have your roof repaired if leaks are minimal or it might need total replacement.
5. Take a look in your attic on a bright day with the lights out and if see sunlight, it is a sign that your roof has a leak. Have these leaks covered to prevent entrance of moisture or if leaks are too much, roof replacement is the solution.
6. If your attic’s roof deck or rafters are sagging downward not in a straight position, it is due to leaking moisture and few localized leaks need some amount of repair and do not need an entire roof replacement.
7. Higher energy bills are due to a spike in your air conditioning or heating costs, the cool or warm air as there might be a leak somewhere in your roof so by addressing ventilation problem, you reduce heating and cooling high bills.
8. Signs of exterior paints that are blistering or peeling exterior are indications that your attic is poorly ventilated, entry of moisture or building up of humidity near the roofline that caused painting to peel or blister.
9. Water stains or discoloration on walls or ceilings has many causes; your roof’s underlayment allows moisture entry into your home that leads to the stains and the best option is roof replacement.
10. Abundant trees around your home is actually quite beneficial for protection and giving shade, preventing heat damage and prolonging the roof’s life; however, trees are threats as they are prone to falling during storms and cause roof damage.
When do you need roof replacement?
1. The shingles are curling in two ways: cupping the edges of the shingles by turning upward; and the edges remaining flat while the middle of the shingle starts coming up.
2. Few cracked shingles are easily replaced but cracking not localized in few areas but all over signs that roof is beyond repair and you start thinking about a new roof.
3. You're finding more and more granules in the gutter due to aging; that's a sign of a bigger problem and once the granules fall off, the quality of the shingle will degenerate fast.
4. Sometimes moss or algae covered your shingles, if this happens do not try to wash or scrap them away as your shingles will be damaged, just replace them with roof tile that are algae-resistant.
5. The entire roof is sagging that is typically an indication of a structural issue that there are lots of damaged parts and are beyond repair so better start negotiating for a roof replacement.
6. If there are flashing that are already broken or damaged; they allowing entry of moisture or even water into your roofing system and it means your roof is at risk and must be replaced for water damage.
7. Ice dams are signs of roof ventilation issues that means your roof needs proper ventilation; thus heat from the attic melts the snow on your roof running them off from roof edge or into your gutters, where in cold air promptly causes it to freeze; therefore: you need new roof to prevent this.
8. .Your roof is celebrating its 25th birthday as asphalt shingle roof could last between 20 and 30 years but even if it looks good from the ground; it is no longer strong and needs a replacement.
9. Overlooking structural problems sometimes cause of roof leaks as home’s foundation has cracks or other stress fractures possibly distorting walls and creating space for water to sneak in so roofs have to be replaced.
10. Mortars are used as beddings for tiles in older roofs; when they start breaking down and falling off, then this indicates that the roof is reaching the end of its use and keep in mind that mortars are best replaced rather than repaired.
Benefits of a sturdy, stable and solid roof:
It increases property value now or in the future you want to sell your house as a new roof and a bathroom remodel make your home much easier to sell.
Changing mold and mildew roofs prevent health hazards and keep your family safe.
The longer you wait to replace that old, dilapidated roof, the more risk of danger to you and your family as it might collapse.
Seek your roofing contractor for advise whether your roof needs repair or replacement; just like bathroom remodel, you bring higher value to your house; so upkeep room repair and eventually replacement are best options to invest in the future.