6 Signs That You Need A New Roof

It’s tough to know when to spend your hard-earned cash on a new roof. After all, it’s a big investment but one that pays huge dividends for your house down the road. You need to have a solid roof above your head, but when is the right time to pull the trigger on getting a new roof?

Below we outline the…

Top 6 signs that you might need a new roof

1. Age of Roof

If you have an asphalt shingle roof, most experts agree that it will last between 20-25 years. If your roof is 40 years old, you are most likely in dire need of re-roofing. If you’re not sure how old the roof is, you could figure out how old your home is or contact the previous owners. If you live in a neighborhood and everyone else is starting to replace their roofs, it could be a sign that you should do the same.

2. Curling Shingles

Shingles that are curling up are a sign that you need a new roof. Shingles can “cup”, when the edges turn upward, or they can “claw”, which is when the middle of the shingle comes up. Both cupping and clawing shingles are bad. If shingles are curling up like this it means that water isn’t properly flowing and could lead to leaks.

3. Granules In The Gutter

If your shingles are losing their granules it could also indicate they are past their life expectancy. Granules help reflect sunlight from the asphalt; when granules fall off the shingles start to really bake and their quality will rapidly deteriorate.

You can check in your gutters for shingle granules. Now, if you have a brand new roof, don’t worry about finding granules – it is completely normal for some granules to wash off in the first year of a new roof. But after 10 or 15 years if you start to notice granules in the gutter then you really need to pay heed. At this point you’re probably halfway through the lifespan of the shingles.

You can also look at the color of the shingles. Darker colors or inconsistent color through the roof might also indicate that granules have worn away in spots.

4. Missing Shingles

If your roof is missing some shingles it might not be a huge issue. You should check to make sure that all of the shingle tabs are intact. If so, it’s usually not a large problem to just replace a few shingles here or there.

However, when you buy new shingles the color & look might not match up with your old shingles. The granule colors of new shingles change over time, plus your old shingles change with weathering. It can be hard to match shingle colors and you end up with what looks like an unsightly patchwork of shingles on your roof. Many people simply opt for replacing the whole roof. (Note: you might have extra, unused shingles leftover from the last time your house was roofed, but then again they may not match your roofs current, weathered shingles.)

5. Roof Sagging

If your roof sags in spots, it’s a very good indication you need to contact a roofing expert. A sagging roof can mean structural issues, either a problem with decking in the attic or (worse) with the supports of the foundation. If your roof is sagging you really should act quickly because it’s much easier to take care of when the problem lies with just a small area. If it grows larger you could have huge issues.

6. You Can See Sunlight Through The Roof Boards

If you suspect your roof is getting old or for any other reason think there might be an issue, check up in your attic. Look to see if any light is getting through; if so, you might have a big issue.

If light can get through your roof, so can cold wind, rain and snow. Also look for water stains or moisture in the insulation. If these exist you may have an active leak and need to call in a professional right away. Some smaller leaks can be patched or you might need a whole new roof, but you need to act quickly before the problem gets worse.

If your roof is showing ANY of these signs you will want to at least look into a repair.*
If your roof is showing 2 OR MORE of these signs you should definitely get an experts opinion.