When To Replace Your Roof
When to replace your roof is often a hard question to answer. There are many variables that determine a roofs useful life. Learn more now.
Your roof is a crucial part of your home, but often you forget all about it. After all, you’re sitting underneath it, so you don’t look closely at it often. However, if you don’t keep an eye on your roof, it may get damaged and need repair or replacement.
Even if you are taking good care of your roof, you will need to replace it eventually. Like all other parts of your home, it has a lifespan, and once it reaches the end of it, it will need replacement. How do you know when you should replace your roof? Here’s everything you need to know.
The Lifespan Of Your Roof
Firstly, it’s important to remember that different roof types have different lifespans. Some roof types can go for decades, while others won’t last nearly as long. Here’s how long the average roof should last, depending on the type:
Composition shingles: 12 – 20 years
Asphalt shingle roof: 15 – 30 years
Wood shingles: 20 – 25 years
Rubber roofs: 30 – 50 years
Metal roofs: 50 – 75 years
Want to know how long your roof has left? You’ll need to know what material your roof is and when it was installed. It shouldn’t be that difficult to find out, and that way, you have an idea of how long that roof has been in place.
What Affects A Roof’s Lifespan
Of course, just because you have a metal roof, it doesn’t mean it’s automatically going to last for 75 years. There are going to be certain things that affect how long it lasts, and when you will need to replace your roof. What should you be looking out for?
Weather Patterns:
The weather where you live will have a tangible impact on your roof’s lifespan. For example, if you regularly get snow, you are more at risk of ice dams and water making its way under shingles. If you get high winds, you may find that things like tree branches are being swept onto the roof, causing damage. Even hot sun can crack and dry out some roofing materials.
If you deal with any extreme weather, this will affect when to replace your roof.
Maintenance:
Once you have a new roof installed, you can’t just leave it and forget about it. It will help if you take good care of it to ensure that it doesn’t damage over time. The way you do this will depend on the type of roof that you have.
For example, if you have a shingle roof, you’ll need to replace individual shingles if they break or go missing. If you have a metal roof, you will have less maintenance to do, but you will need to keep an eye out for leaks and water damage.
If you’re not maintaining the roof, then you’ll have to replace it much sooner.
Installation Quality:
The way the roof was installed also affects the longevity of the roof. If you’ve picked a good roofer that cares about their work, then you’ll have the best chance of your roof lasting the entire lifespan.
If you go with someone less than reputable, you may find that they didn’t take as much care and even skipped essential steps. That can lead to you needing to replace the roof sooner rather than later.
How To Know When To Replace Your Roof
No matter how well you care for your roof, at some point, the question of when to replace your roof will come. How do you know if you need to call in the roofers? There are some signs that you need to look out for.
It’s reached the end of its life span:
If the roof has reached the end of its life span, and it’s suffering from several issues, then you’ll want to replace it rather than try and repair it. You certainly can do things like replacing shingles, but it’s a sticking plaster, and you will spend more money in the long run.
The shingles are damaged:
You may find that the shingles on your roof are suffering damage. For example, they are bruised from hail, have begun to curl, or ‘cup,’ are cracked, loose, or even missing. Again, shingles can be replaced, but if several are broken, then it can be time to replace the roof. If the damage isn’t restricted to one area of the roof, that’s a sign it’s time to replace it.
The roof becomes covered in moss or algae:
This on its own isn’t usually a problem, but it can make things worse for an older roof. If there’s a lot of growth, it can trap water against the roof and cause problems. Usually, homeowners decide to wash off the growth and damage the shingles in the process.
If it isn’t too bad, you can leave the moss there. If not, then you can look at a replacement.
The roof is sagging:
This is usually a tell-tale sign that the roof is on the way out. Does it look as though it’s sagging in the middle? That’s a sign that the roof decking is damaged or wearing out. It can lead to further damage and even danger if you ignore it, so you need to address it as soon as possible.
You can see light through the roof:
When you are in the attic, can you see light coming through the roof? That’s a sign that the roof is on its way out. You shouldn’t have any gaps in the roof, as that’s how water will get in. If you see lots of gaps, it’s time to replace.
How To Extend A Roof’s Lifespan
The best way to extend the roof’s lifespan is to have it inspected twice a year. An expert roofer can come and check it out, ensuring that it’s in good condition. They’ll let you know when it’s time to replace the roof.
Now you know exactly when to replace your roof. Keep an eye on it, and take care of it to ensure that you’ll get the most out of the roof before replacement is needed.