How often do you look at your roof, really?
While arguably one of the most important parts of your home, the roof is usually an afterthought to most home owners. When you see a dreaded brown spot on your ceiling it generally means your roof is leaking and chances are some damage has occurred. Can your roof just be repaired or is it time to replace your roof? What determines if you can get away with a roof repair or does your home need a total roof replacement? Below is 5 ways to tell you need a new roof.
How old is your roof?
The age of your roofing system is a huge factor when it comes to ways to tell you need a new roof. Most roofing contractors agree that an asphalt shingle roof for example will need replaced in around 15 years in Florida, give or take. With the Florida sun and rain storms, shingle roofs just don’t stand up compared to tile or metal. This is not to say that a shingle roof can’t last 30 years, especially with the shingles currently available. Unfortunately, an old roof that is constantly leaking and needing repairs is a bad mix and generally points to the need for a shingle roof replacement.
Follow your neighbours lead
While one neighbour replacing their roof may just be a neighbour looking for something new, pay attention to the homes in your neighbourhood. If a few or a bunch of your neighbours are replacing their roofs, it may be a way to tell you need a new roof. Homes in the same neighbourhood are often times built similarly, and built at the same time. If you have 5 neighbours replacing their shingle roofs, chances are yours may be getting close to the end of it’s life as well. This is also a good way to determine roof age if you’re a new home-owner and are unsure of the age of your roof.
Check your gutters
In the event that you have the most common roofing system in Florida, shingles, you should check your gutters regularly (and with other roofing systems too!). Gutters should be inspected regularly for debris and to make sure they’re draining properly. Clogged gutters can lead to bigger issues in the future. If you notice shingle granules in the gutters it could be a way to tell you need a new roof. Shingles toward the end of their life will start to lose more granules.
Rot
Take a step back and check the roofing system yourself. A sagging, droopy roof, is surely one of the ways to tell you need a new roof before any more damage occurs. Check for sagging spots, wet boards, and rotted plywood. You can have a licensed roofing contractor come out and inspect your home and point out any problem areas. If you have a lot of rot, it’s more than likely that the integrity of your roofing system is compromised. It’s likely time to replace.
While their are many ways to tell you need a roof, always have a licensed reputable roofing contractor inspect your roof and give you their professional opinion. Often times, roofing contractors can spot areas that just simply need repaired and avoid replacement for a few more years. However, if a Florida roofing contractor you can trust tells you that it’s time to replace your roof, you should start budgeting and replace as soon as possible. Waiting to replace your roof can cause structural damage to your home, and can lead to even bigger issues in the future. Hire the Sarasota roofing contract you can trust – Florida Southern Roofing.
Call us today for a free estimate – 941-954-8811.