When you think about it, your home’s roof is the most important part of your house. The roof protects you and your family from the elements, protects your household items and the interior parts of the house, and can help enhance your home’s curb appeal. That’s why you should always ensure that your roof is in tip-top condition. You do this by having your roof inspected at least once or twice a year. This way, you’ll know when your roof is in need of repair or if you need a roof replacement.
Look for the following signs that you may be in need of roof repair or a roof replacement. Then, you can call in roofing contractors, who will ultimately advise you when it’s time for new roof replacements.
1. A Leaking Roof
A leaky roof is a nightmare for any homeowner. With a leaking roof, everything inside your house can be easily damaged by leaking water. Even worse, small leaks can escalate during the rainy season, and your house can get flooded if the leaks go unrepaired. Additionally, a leaky roof is a potential fire hazard. Continuous water leaks may infiltrate the junction boxes, and the live wires may be exposed to water. This can spark a house fire if you don’t hire roof repair contractors to assess your leaking roof early.
A residential roofing contractor will recommend if your leaky roof needs a total replacement, or roof repair will work well. In most cases, extensive leaks will destroy your attic and ceilings, and you’ll need roof replacements. However, small leaks can be repaired, and your roof will continue serving you efficiently. Leaks can be caused by missing or damaged shingles, which are easy to replace and repair. Other times, water leaks are caused by faulty roofing materials, poor roof installation, heavy roof damage from storms, or wear and tear. In such cases, total roof replacements may be the only solution for your leaky roof.
2. Roof Rot Caused By Growth of Mold or Mildew
Due to poor installation or damage caused by extreme weather conditions, your roof may not drain water to the gutters. For instance, a substandard roof installer may not calculate the roof slope properly when installing your shingle roof. When it rains, the roof will retain moisture on its surface, causing some parts of your roof to be waterlogged.
When this is the case, many types of growth, such as algae, mold, moss, and mildew, will grow on your roof. The moisture retained on the shingles will fuel the growth of algae. As algae grow on the roof, it eats into the shingles and causes them to rot. If algae go undetected for long, it will eventually trigger roof rot on most parts of your roof. This will necessitate a complete roof replacement to correct the roof rot.
3. When Your Roof Has Exceeded Its Service Life
The life expectancy of different roofs varies depending on the roofing materials used to make and install the roof. Slate and metal roofs are the most durable roofs, with a service life of more than 70 years. Clay tiles will serve you for 50 years or more, while asphalt shingles last for slightly above 20 years. So, when you start having roof issues, it’s time to review your home improvement records and check how long your roof has been in service.
Say, for instance, your asphalt shingle roof is 15 years old. It would be more sustainable to have it replaced than to make repairs. Additionally, review records of your previous roof repairs. If you have had your roof repaired a couple of times, a new leak will signal that it’s time to call in a residential roofing company for a new installation.
Roof replacements are the most effective solution for your damaged or leaky roof. However, some roof problems can be solved through roof repair. To know if you need to roof replacement or roof repair, you should hire a roofing company to inspect your roof issues and recommend the best steps to take.
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