Do You Ever Wonder, “How to tell if a roof needs replacing?”
Eventually, every roof will come to the end of its life. You may wonder, “How to tell if a roof needs replacing?”
Depending on the type of roofing you have on your home, there are a number of signals it will give you that it’s time to replace your roof. Let’s take a look at some common signs that your roof is ready to relinquish its role as chief guardian from the elements.
Interior Signs That It’s Time for a Roof Replacement
-
You can see light coming through from inside your attic.
-
There are signs of water damage–like wet spots, mold, or mildew–inside the attic.
-
Sometimes you can see actual sagging from inside the attic. This is a clear sign that it’s time to replace your roof.
Exterior Signs That It’s Time to Replace Your Roof
Before we get into the signs you can see on the outside of your roof, we want to issue a word of caution. Please don’t walk around on your roof if you don’t need to. We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating. Roofing is a dangerous job, even for professionals.
All you need to do to inspect your roof is to climb up on a ladder and take a peek. You should be able to spot any of these problems from there.
Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Roof
A good quality spray foam roof could last 50 years or longer.
It should be obvious that foam roofing is our favorite type of roofing system.
It’s durable, long lasting, and pretty low-maintenance. If you re-coat your foam roof five years after it’s installed, you won’t need to re-coat again for another 25 years. That’s not bad.
But over time, the materials will deteriorate. Here are some signs that it’s time to replace your foam roof:
-
You can easily repair small holes and cracks so long as you inspect the roof regularly and catch them early. But if somehow you have a large chunk of your roof taken out, it might be time to replace it.
-
If it’s been around 50 years since your SPF roof installation and you’re noticing signs of poor insulation, it might be time. Those signs might include rising energy bills or difficulty maintaining the temperature of your home.
-
If you start to see bubbles, or the roof seems weak– as if you could step through it. This usually happens when a roof is about 20 years old.
Wooden Roof
A wooden roof should last 15-30 years.
Wood roofs vary a lot because there are so many different types and thicknesses of wood that roofers use. And homes with wooden roofs can be in a lot of different climates too. When you inspect the exterior of your roof, look for missing shingles, cracks around the edges of the shingles, and any signs of moss, mold, mildew, rot, or pest damage.
Asphalt Roof
Most asphalt roofs last 15-20 years.
Granule loss is the main sign that your asphalt roof needs to be replaced. Also look for loose, curling or missing shingles, and rot.
Clay Tile Roof
A good clay tile roof could last 50 years or longer.
We emphasized the “could” because even though the tiles are durable, they’re also super fragile. If you walk on them, or they get hit by branches and other debris, they’re likely to crack. If you spot one or two missing or cracked tiles, a qualified tile roofing contractor can probably replace them without replacing the entire roof. It’s time for a new roof when 10 to 20 percent of your tiles are missing or broken.
Metal Roof
Metal roofing can last 30 years or longer, depending on the type of metal.
You’ll want to inspect the exterior of your roof for rust. Holes and cracks are also signs that it’s time for a replacement.
Are any of these signs happening to you and your roof? If you think it’s time for your roof to be replaced or repaired, give us a call.
We want your home or business to have a safe roof that’s long-lasting. Our team is experienced and knowledgeable and we are happy to come and out give you a free estimate.