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The roof might not be glamorous, but since it is the most crucial part of home construction, you should never take it lightly. In addition to familiarity with the roofing system, knowledge of different roofing materials is equally important to select the most suitable one that ensures the durability of the roof.
Considering the high cost of laying roofs, longevity is a critical factor in roof selection. Ensuring proper roof installation is equally important because not doing the right job can negatively impact almost every aspect of your home.
Roof replacement is quite expensive, and knowing the signs that tell you it is time for replacement can help to avoid any wrong decision. Some signs of roof damage are quite obvious, but in many cases, the signs are so subtle that only roofing experts like the ones you find at Bscroofing.com can evaluate it correctly.
To understand the signs of damage which are not very much visible, you must be familiar with the basic features of roof system consisting of the deck, drip edge, underlayment, vents, etc., which can be quite confusing for the layman to understand.
Therefore, relying on roof experts is the only way to decide about the need for roof replacement by ascertaining the damage and its impact on the building.
Signs of Roof Damage That Tell It Is Time to Think About Roof Replacement
What are the most telling signs that compel homeowners to decide about roof replacement will be clear on going through this article.
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How Old is the Roof?
The age of the roof indicates the extent of wear and tear and damage that it has undergone, which helps to decide if it is time for a replacement. While damage repair within the life span of the roof can ensure its lasting through the desired time, once the roof crosses its longevity, there is no option than replacing it.
Different types of roof have different longevity with metal and tile roof lasting much longer about 50 years than asphalt shingle roof that lasts for about 15-30 years. Again, wood shingles have longer life between 30-50 years. Slate roofs have the longest life that can last between 50-100 years which is perhaps the highest among all types of roofing systems.
Sometimes roof repair involves overlaying, which consists of installing a new roof layer on the existing roof. If any roof goes through this process, then when the roof reaches its end of life, replacing it is the only option.
Damaged or Missing Shingles
The roof must withstand the harshest weather conditions like rain, hail, snow, storm, and sunshine, and the roofing materials have varying capabilities to withstand it for many years. However, in the process, the roof goes through wear and tear that gradually weakens the roof material that might require interim repair to maintain its strength throughout the designed lifetime.
All kinds of roof damage cannot be repaired, or even if repaired it will get damaged again like shingle can buckle, curl or even go missing due to the beating it receives when encountering the threats of Nature.
If you find an accumulation of granular roof materials in the gutter system, it clearly tells about the deteriorating roof material that erodes away. Do not ignore it as some other debris because the more you delay in repairing the roof, more damage it undergoes.
Flashing Damage
The flashing of the roof acts as water deterrent and keeps the joints of the roof free from moisture and protects some of the most vulnerable parts of the roof. If moisture creeps into the roof, it can silently damage it.
Therefore, to detect signs of roof damage, you must inspect not only the roof but also the flashing. Metal, tar, and roof cement are the common materials used for flashing, and the choice of material depends on how old the roof is. Flashing may crack or bend upward and create gaps through which moisture can creep into the roofing material.
Aging is one of the causes of flashing damage, and poor installation is a cause too. Even poor repairs can be the reason for flashing damage. Depending on the cause of damage and age of the roof, it might be time for roof replacement.
Ice Damming
In areas of cold climates, you might have noticed that ridges of ice form at the edge of the roof that look like a long line of hanging strips of ice or icicles that appear like ice dams.
Ice dam formation is a clear sign of poor roof ventilation because the heat that remains trapped in the attic causing the snow deposited on the roof to melt that flows down the slope only to freeze soon on coming in contact with the cold air and hang as strips of ice from the edge of the roof.
The initial dam formation causes the next wave of molten snow to freeze again, and the cycle of dam formation continues.
Icicles are hanging from the roof cause overloading that can damage the roof. The added pressure might be too much for the roof that can even tear apart the roofing material. Ultimately, water will seep into the roof and cause even more damage. If the process sets in, the only remedy is to replace the roof.
Faded Walls and Ceilings
Water seepage on the roof is not easy to detect because it takes time for the moisture to travel through the roof material and show up as watermarks in some part of the building adjoining the roof. And by the time you see the water sign on discolored walls and ceilings, the damage has set in quite deep.
If you hear some strange dripping sound coming from the ceiling, there are high chances of roof leakage through which water is passing and causing the sound.
Check the attic closely to detect any wet or soggy insulation that can only result from the leaking roof. If you detect some soft sections on the roof during the inspection, it is time to act fast and arrange for roof replacement.
Water can cause extensive roof damage, and no repair might be good enough to recover the roof that becomes irreparable, and roof replacement is the only solution.
