How To Tell If Your Home Needs A New Roof
If you are a homeowner with an older or aging home, you may be thinking that it may be time to replace your roof. There are some steps you can take to determine if your roof needs to be replaced. Starting with the interior of the home and then the exterior, we have listed what to look for to help you make an informed decision.
Checking Inside The House To Determine If You Need A New Roof
Alright, checking the interior is an easy way to determine the condition of your roof. Grab a flashlight with a strong beam and head on up to your attic. Keeping safety in mind, look for the following signs that indicate you need a new roof:
- Light Coming Through The Roof Boards:
Keep in mind that if light is coming through the roof boards, so is water. Water damage is very costly to repair. So before you turn on the flashlight, look for any light coming in through any cracks or holes. If you do see it contact a roofing professional right away.
- Stains Or Streaks:
If you see dark stains or on the underside of your roof or notice streaks running down the wall from the roof, your roof is leaking and moisture is not only damaging your roof but your home's interior. If not corrected the water can lead to mold and mildew inside your home which is harmful to humans and very expensive to remove.
- Sagging:
Water leaking can also make the structure of your roof sag. If you see any sagging areas, use either your hand or a broom to very lightly push against the sagging spot. Be gentle! If it feels soft and spongy like wet cardboard and bends easily you have moisture damage from a leaking roof.
Checking Your Roof Outside See If It Needs Replacing
Once you have gone through the attic and looked for damage, then the next step is to look at the roof outside. If you have already found damage inside, they will identify the areas that need to be looked at first. In older homes, an exterior roof check should be completed twice a year to prevent damage. If you are unable to do so, most professional roofing companies will perform the roof inspection at no charge.
- Shingles Losing Granules:
First place to look is to check your gutters. If you notice Particles that look like large grains of salt or tiny pieces of shingles in your gutter, your shingles are starting to decay. This leaves you vulnerable to water damage.
- Water Damage:
Again, like you did in the interior, look for dark stains and sagging spots. Also, look for rotting tiles. All of these are signs of water damage to your roof. No matter how small these appear to be, do not neglect to have it addressed. No matter how small, they will continue to get worse.
- Rot:
Rotting is more commonly seen in wood and asphalt roofs. Signs of rot and decay will be rotten tiles, black stains, missing or broken tiles. Another sign is if you notice a mold build up on several tiles.
Last but not least if your roof is over 20 years old it will probably need to be replaced. If you notice any of these signs on your home, contact the Wilkinson Roofing Company. Since 1966 we have built a reputation of being trustworthy and reliable. We work directly with you, the owner and will answer any questions you may have.
