Not-so-subtle indicators proving you need a new roof for your home might be a gaping hole, extensive leaks, or storm damage. What about the more subtle signs your roof needs to be replaced?
Shingles
The condition of your shingles is the most important of the less obvious signs of roof replacement. Among problems that indicate a new roof is needed, your shingles tell the loudest story. From the ground, where you are safe, look for shingles which do not appear quite right:
- Cracked shingles
- Curling shingles
- Missing shingles
- Dislodged shingles
Many problems with a shingle roof will show from a ground inspection. Other shingle-related issues, like cupping, keystoning, blistering, thermal tearing, and improper installation, can best be diagnosed by your local, friendly residential roofer.
Granules
The stone-like granules embedded in the soft asphalt of today’s modern fiberglass-asphalt shingles provide water resistance, weight against wind uplift, and color to your home’s roof. Over time, these granules loosen.
If you can safely look inside the almost-horizontal portions of your gutters, see if granules have built up. Look where your downspouts empty onto your yard. Do you see more granules there?
Granule loss means volatile chemicals are evaporating. The loss of granules signal the end of your roof’s useful life.
Age
Any shingle roof has two ages: its chronological age, set by the calendar, and its weathering age, set by Mother Nature. Suppose you actually know the age of your roof, perhaps from a roofing warranty. If your roof were a person, would it be old enough to legally drink? If so, it is in its twilight years.
Fiberglass-asphalt shingles seldom last more than 20 years. This age can be accelerated by exposure to unusually harsh weather, such as hurricanes or high winds.
Your reliable, local roofer can do an up-close inspection to get a better sense of your roof’s real, weathering age. Your roofer can diagnose all the problems which indicate a new roof is needed, then provide strategies to solve your roofing dilemma.
As a modern member of our electronic society, you can tell when your iPhone is cracked or your satellite TV is on the fritz. As a homeowner, though, you cannot always see the issues in a roof which signal it needs to be replaced. The expert roofers of Yellowhammer Roofing are ready to help you with the things you can’t see. Contact us today and sleep easier tonight.
