It’s easy to take your roof for granted. After all, it keeps your greatest assets covered and dry through everything Mother Nature throws at it.
Being able to spot and correct areas of your roof that could have potential issues down the road is valuable knowledge. These signs could save you thousands of dollars in the life span of your roofing system and in the protection of your home or business.
1. Your Roof is Over 10 Years of Age
Knowing how old your roof is and the typical service life of the building products used in the construction of your roof system, is a quick and easy way to get a general idea of your roof’s condition. If your roof is properly maintained (gutters and drains cleaned) and correctly installed, there is no reason to have issues with your roof within the first 10 years of its life. After 10 years, it is a good time to have a roofing inspection by an expert roofing contractor. Even though you may have a 30-year shingle warranty, this is a good time to inspect the full roofing system including a review of flashings around all penetrations to the roof. Any problem areas can be identified and with minor repairs provide you with another 10-15 years of service life.
2. The Neighbors are Getting a New Roof
Aside from the need to keep curb appeal up to par with your neighborhood, it is important to recognize if other buildings or homes in your close proximity are upgrading their roofing systems. Often structures built in a certain area were built in the same time period, and similar products were used in their construction. If neighbors are constantly having issues with their roof, yours is most likely not far behind, or the leaks haven’t become obvious enough to notice. Be an informed neighbor and ask those nearby what is going on with their roof, as this information can better allow you to plan out and save for the cost of your roof’s needs.
3. Your Roof is Missing Shingles
Missing shingles are not only an eye sore on your home or business, but they also can cause issues to larger portions of the roof systems. This is especially true if tabs are missing in or around the valleys, and along the perimeter. Shingle roof systems are water shedding roof systems and are designed to push water towards valleys and edges of the roof. Lost shingles are mostly caused by wind damage, poor craftsmanship, or poorly secured nails. In addition, inspect the general condition of the shingle. Curling edges, loss granules, and cracks may be a sign your shingles have reached the end of its service life.
4. You See Compromised Wood
Inspect your roof for deteriorating wood. This may be a sign water is penetrating your roof system. Deteriorating facia and soffit wood around the perimeter of your roof can be a tell-tale sign that either your roof is failing, or your gutters have not been properly installed or maintained. There are other areas of wood that are much more difficult to see and play a large role in supporting your roof. Deteriorating decking can be found by looking up in the attic for wet areas and can be caused by ventilation problems and/or leak sources. An area that has deteriorating decking will feel sponge like and may be severely compromised. We recommend calling an expert roofing contractor right away for a full inspection and recommendation.
5. It’s Time for Scheduled Maintenance
Ongoing maintenance will improve the longevity of your roofing system. Maintenance should include: removing all debris from the roofing system after a storm, regular gutter cleaning, and a general inspection by an expert roofing contractor after 10 years or when other signs of problems are noticed.
When You See the Signs, Call an Expert
If you notice any of these signs, it’s possible that overall your roof is still in good shape and simply needs repairs, however, it’s important when you see any of these signs to consult with an expert in residential roofing, who will fully inspect your roofing system and offer you their expert opinion on the current health of your roof and what to expect in the future. The roofing expert will discuss all the options available to you including minor repairs, maintenance service, and replacement.
At Pickard Roofing, we think long term and invite sustainable building customers to give us a call for your free evaluation. For over 90 years Pickard Roofing Company has installed and maintained countless metal, tile, slate, TPO, EPDM, and all types of shingle roofing in the Triangle. Our services including residential, commercial, custom architectural metal fabrication, and historical renovation.
