Given the kind of abuse your roof has have had to go through over the years, it’s no surprise if issues start creeping up now. Unfortunately, many homeowners only really pay attention to their roofs once they start experiencing leaks, which may already indicate that more serious roofing problems have already formed. In this post, I’ll share with you six signs that you may be in need of roof replacement, aside from leaks.
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Your roof is 25 years old
Most roofing systems, particularly asphalt shingle roofs, last between 20 and 25 years. If your roof has already served your home this long, it is highly possible that it is hiding some problems even if it looks good from the outside. Furthermore, the need for a new roof is heightened if your existing system was installed over an older roof.
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Shingles are curling and buckling
Shingle curling typically happens in two ways: cupping and clawing. Cupping is when the edges of the shingles turn upward, while clawing is when the edges stay flat but the middle part seems to pop up. Buckling, on the other hand, occurs when the shingles can no longer lay flat due to wrinkling of the roofing underlayment or movement of the wood decking. Both curling and buckling indicate extreme weathering and that irreversible problems are potentially present.
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Shingles are missing
Shingles can be blown off every once in a while when severe weather hits. There’s generally no issue replacing a shingle or two missing here and there but it becomes problematic when too many shingles are missing. For one, it may be impossible to find new shingles that will match the color of the old ones exactly, leading to a drop in visual appeal. Moreover, if your roof system is already generally old, more shingles may detach and get damaged over time, so it may be more practical to replace roofing material in one go.
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Shingles are cracked
Shingle cracking is a typical result of wind damage. Just like with missing shingles, you can certainly replace a few cracked shingles but, as I’ve mentioned earlier, you may have a hard time looking for shingles that have the same color as the existing ones. If cracking is not isolated to just one area of the roof and a roof inspection has revealed that you have random cracked shingles across your roof, you should take it as a sign to consider roof replacement.
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Shingle granules are in the gutter
Shingle granules are not merely excess material. They help protect from the sun’s UV rays and extreme heat so it’s important that they stay on the shingle. If most of the granules have fallen off, shingles start baking and their quality will deteriorate quickly.
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Your roof is sagging
Not to scare you or anything, but a sagging roof must be addressed immediately because it indicates structural damage, like in the roof decking or worse, the very foundation of your home. You may not be necessarily in imminent danger, but you also don’t know until when your roof is going to hold so it is best to take action quickly and have your roof replaced.
Your roof is an integral part of your home so make sure you give it the attention it needs and deserves. Should you have any questions or concerns about replacing your roof, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local roofing expert today.
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Author Bio:
John Zatwarnytsky is the vice president of Homecraft, Inc. Aside from being passionate about giving the best quality of service to clients, he also finds the time to reach out to more people through blogging. Check out the company blog for updates from John!
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