Signs That Indicate Your Roof Needs Replacement and Installation
Over time, even with regular maintenance, roofs will eventually wear out due to natural causes or storm damage. Most homeowners only notice that a roof needs replacing when a leak or significant water damage occurs.
The best way to determine when to replace your roof is to check its condition in the attic.
Water Damage
It’s difficult to identify roof water damage and whether your roof needs replacing or repairing. But catching these signs early on can save you from more costly repairs.
Leaking roofs can cause extensive and expensive water damage to walls, ceilings, and support beams. Replacing the roof quickly before it is too late will help prevent further damage to your home and belongings.
Water damage can result from a leak or other causes like missing shingles, clogged gutters, etc. When you notice water stains, watermarks, and other signs of moisture inside your home, it is time to call a roofing contractor for an inspection.
A residential roofing installation Littleton is a wise investment to protect your home and possessions from the elements and other hazards like mold and rot. Look for swollen walls, ceilings, and door casings, as these are indicators of a leaking roof that should be repaired immediately.
Sagging Roof
Sagging roofs can indicate serious structural damage and should be checked by a professional roofing contractor as soon as possible. Depending on the cause, this problem can lead to the complete collapse of your house. To see if your roof is sagging, look for visual deformities like dips in the ridgeline and saddlebacks or humps on the roof plane.
Many things, such as poor original construction or damage to the structure of your home, can cause sagging. It can also result from a problem with your gutters or drainage systems. Lastly, sagging can be due to the weight of snow and water. While most roofs are designed to support a certain amount of weight, too much of it can cause the sagging of your roof. Sometimes, the problem may be caused by a foundation issue affecting your roof and other home parts.
Cracked Shingles
Shingles crack when they expand and contract as a result of changing temperatures. When this happens, water seeps between the shingles, causing damage to the underlayment, decking, and attic. This is a sure sign that your roof is nearing the end of its life expectancy.
Cracked shingles aren’t as serious as missing shingles, but they still indicate that the roof is approaching the end of its useful life. It would help if you had a roof replacement contractor inspect and replace the cracked shingles to prevent leaks and other problems down the road.
Check your attic to see if the light leaks through the roof, soffit, or ridge vents. Small amounts of daylight may be normal, but significant light shining through the attic indicates that your roof needs replacing. It would help if you had a roofing professional replace the shingles, the underlayment, and the moisture barrier to prevent leaks and other problems. They’ll also install a new ridge vent to prevent further water damage.
Leaking Gutters
Gutters are a critical part of keeping water away from foundations, and they help to keep basements dry. If your gutters are leaking, it’s time to call in a roofing professional for repairs. Gutter leaks often indicate structural issues with your home’s foundation that can cost you thousands in repairs.
Leaking gutters lead to mud and dirt washing over your house’s exterior walls, which can cause damage to wood siding. The accumulated soil can also create hydrostatic pressure against your foundation walls, causing cracks and other problems.
The most common sign of a leaking gutter is water marks on the exterior walls and interior of the basement. It would help if you also looked for rust spots and puddles near the foundation.
