Sometimes a roof naturally reaches the end of its useful life without experiencing any type of roof failure. It just looks old and worn, and you are doing preventive maintenance on your home at the time. However, If replacing an old roof is delayed, it could result in bigger problems down the road. Be sure to watch for the warning signs to give yourself plenty of time to add the project to your TO DO list.
Potential Signs That Your Roof May Need To Be Replaced:
- Shingle tabs are cupped or shingle edges are curled.
- Granules are missing leaving bald spots.
- Cracked shingles.
- Your roof is 20 years old or older. Many shingles today are produced for durability, although many factors can accelerate the aging of shingles. For example, if your roof does not have proper ventilation, it can negatively impact your shingles.
- The roof just looks old or worn.
- Your neighbors are getting new roofs. Homes built around the same time period experience the same types of weather conditions. This can mean that your roof is nearing its useful life.
- Dark streaks are beginning to appear on your roof. Algae cause dark streaks on roofs and shingles. This may not harm the roof shingles, but it also may not look good. Algae can be removed using a 50:50 blend of bleach and water sprayed on your roof. It is important to use a low volume garden hose with an attached nozzle so you do not knock the protective granules off your shingles.Be sure that you protect your landscaping from the bleach run-off as well.
- Moss grows on roof surfaces that do not get much sunlight, especially in cool, moist climates. This growth can be more than a cosmetic issue. Moss holds moisture against the roof surface and over time can cause damage to the granules on the top of the shingles, especially in freezing climates. Moss can be brushed off but it doesn’t prevent it from growing again. When brushing off the moss, take care not to damage the shingle surface. You may need to hire a professional roofing contractor for help removing moss.