Are you wondering if it’s time to get your roof replaced? How can you tell if you do? Sometimes, it can be obvious – for example, those water stains in different rooms – but in most cases, the signs aren’t always easy to tell.
5 Signs You Need a New Roof
1. The Roof is Just Plain Old.
The average shingle roof lasts about 15 years with metal and tile roofs lasting a little longer. If you know your roof is nearing its life expectancy or you’ve been in your house longer than 15 years and haven’t replaced it, it might be time to start thinking about your next roof.
Don’t forget roof repairs are short-term relief that hide a long-term issue underneath. If you’ve had several of them, you should definitely think about a roof replacement.
Read: Best Time of Year to Replace the Roof
2. When you can see curling or missing shingles
With our cold Tennessee winters, your roof is exposed to not just rain and hail, but snow and ice, which causes the components of your roof begin to wear-and-tear through each new season. Think of it this way, your roof protects you from Mother Nature every 12-months for 365 days hopefully for 15 years or more. Over time, your roof will begin to show signs of aging (no pun intended). You will begin to see shingles in your yard from the howling wind the night before. Curling shingles – we call those the ones that have been holding onto dear life through each storm and debris from your shingles losing its granules. Any of these missing or damaged pieces can be repaired. But when its frequent and shows results like these through every storm, your home becomes vulnerable every time to the elements.
Read: Roof Patching vs. Roof Replacing
3. Dark lines or black streaks are everywhere.
Driving through neighborhoods, we see quite a few homes with those big black streaks all over their roof. Sometimes we want to knock on their door and just tell them, “we are here to help whenever you’re ready”. When you see these dark lines it’s a pretty good indication that moisture is getting through the roof somewhere and is probably creating mold or algae in the process. With the high humidity and heavily treed neighborhoods in Gallatin especially after a rain storm the roof dries out and mold goes dormant and discolors the shingles, thus those black streaks you see. If ignored, it causes the shingles to deteriorate and begin the process of roof leakage.
4. The ever-popular ice damming.
The issue isn’t those pretty icicles that form off the edge of your roof but the ice that backups behind it. We call that an ice dam which means you likely are having roof insulation and ventilation issues.
Too much water run off eventually creates an ice dam on your roof, causing the shingles to absorb the water, which in turn creates roof leaks. The process creates these beautiful icicles we see hanging but continuous periods of ice dams the added pressure or weight can pull apart or lift your shingles roof line up. This results in the melted water to backup into the underlayment of your roof. Once water starts to soak that underlayment, it’s only a matter of time before you need your roof to be replaced.
Read: Stuff that endangers roofs series – Ice Dams
5. Water stain ceilings are a pretty good indicator.
Sitting in your living room with water-stained ceilings watching the weather man or woman discussing the storm that is coming in while you hope and pray that your roof last this next one like it did the last storm might be a good indication that you’re ready for a roof replacement. Maybe it isn’t so obvious and you are noticing mysterious water stains on walls or the exterior of your home. Maybe you are hearing a dripping sound and can’t figure out where it’s coming from. Another indicator is if you go up to your attic and find your insulation soggy or damp, it means you might have a problem.
Need a New Roof?
Once you decide you need a new roof, give us a call at (615) 452-0161 or request an estimate online. Let’s make your home feel brand new again!
