Recognizing Signs That It's Time to Replace Your Asphalt Shingle Roof
Your roof is designed to protect your home from the outside elements and keep you and your family safe and dry. However, just like any exterior component of your home, it will eventually require replacement. But how do you know when it’s time to replace your roof? Here are some of the signs that it’s time to replace your asphalt shingle roof.
Age of Your Roof
The first sign that it’s time to replace your asphalt shingle roof is its age. If your roof is a couple of decades old, it’s past its prime and could be experiencing deteriorating shingles, cracking, and weakening in its structure. At this point, it’s best to have a professional inspect your roof's condition to determine if it requires replacing.
Curled or Cupped Shingles
Curled or cupped shingles are a sign of severe wear and tear on your roof. If you look up and see that your shingles are curling, they’re no longer protecting your home from the weather outside. Shingles that have lost their protective granules expose the asphalt to harmful UV rays, causing them to dry out, shrink, and crack. In this case, it’s time to replace your roof soon before problems worsen and potential leaks develop.
Missing or Damaged Shingles
Missing or damaged shingles can happen for several reasons: wind damage, hail, or breaks from falling debris. When you notice missing shingles, it means that portions of your roofing system are exposed. This exposure can lead to leaks that contribute to moisture damage inside your home. A damaged roof can also compromise your home’s insulation, causing an increase in your electric bill. These are all signs that it's time to replace your roof as soon as possible.
Visible Algae or Moss Growth
Algae or moss growth on your roof can look like dark staining, which can be a sign that it’s time to replace your roof. Moss or algae can trap moisture and cause deterioration of the shingles on your roof, leading to roof failure. It would be best to remove the growth and make repairs as soon as it’s seen, but if the growth is too extensive or has been ignored, it’s a sign that it’s time to replace your roof.
Light Coming Through the Roof
If light is coming through your roof, it’s a significant sign that your roof needs replacing. Sunbeams shining into your attic means there are cracks or holes in your roof that could result in further issues, such as bug infestations and water penetration that may not be apparent during dry weather.
For more info about roof replacement, contact a local professional.
Over the years, we have hired numerous contractors to work on our home. We hired drywall hangers to hand drywall in our newly finished basement. We hired painters to paint our upstairs bedroom, and we've had plumbers come fix our pipes more times than we can count. At some point, we became curious, and we wanted to learn more about the world of these contractors. We then spent many months reading and researching the industry before realizing that was not quite enough. We wanted to write about the industry, too! So, that's how this blog got started. We hope it brings you as much knowledge as it has brought us.