You’ve probably heard that an average roof lasts about 20-25 years but how do you really know when it’s time to get a new roof? Do you just spring for a new roof after about 20 years? No! Here are a few simple ways that will help you determine if you need a new roof (or just repairs):
Check your attic for leaks!
If your attic is leaking you may have a problem with your flashing or shingle underlayment. Check your attic if you notice an ice dam or windy rain.
Mold can set in as soon as 24 hours after water entering your space so watch affected areas carefully! If you notice mold it could also mean a certain area of your roof has been leaking repeatedly. This could be an expensive fix so watch carefully. Find below a picture of a moldy attic:
Age: Before you book your contractor and pick out your shingle color make sure that you really inspect all areas of the roof. If you have damaged shingles in just one area of the roof it may be worth your while to just repair that area. It could end up saving you thousands if you still have a good life-span on the rest of your roof. Here is a cheat sheet if you aren’t sure how long typical roofing materials last:
- Asphalt: 15-25 years (if the last shingles were added over the previous roof you probably have 20 years, tops. When redoing an asphalt shingled roof it’s a good idea to completely remove the previous shingles to prolong the life of the new roofing material).
- Tile: around 100 years (but a professional tile specialist will need to repair cracked tiles!)
- Concrete: Shouldn’t need replacing.
- GAF Shingle Roof (Top rated and our shingle of choice at Coastal Windows & Exteriors!): Lifetime limited warranty (as long as the original owners, or sometimes second owners, live in the (single family) house. Here is a house with a beautiful GAF shingled Timberline Roof in the color Weathered Wood:
Missing shingles: This may seem basic, but check your roof for areas where shingles are missing. The purpose of shingles are to protect your home from water leaks. Check your attic to see if you see spots where water is coming in, they may not directly correspond to where the shingles are missing since water often travels.
Another simple way to tell if you’re missing shingles is to go up in your attic and see if you can see daylight or blue sky through the roof boards.
Shingles that have curled. If your shingles are curling or buckling it could mean that your roof is nearing the end of its life.
It’s important to note that if your shingles are curling or buckling but your roof is on the newer side then your shingles may be defective. Go and find your warranty if that is the case!
Check your gutters. Do you find that your shingles are losing the granules that cover the top of them? If so, that’s another easy way to detect that your shingles are at the end of their life-span. If you don’t want to climb up on your roof to inspect your gutters step out to the street. Does your roof look like it has polka dots, or “dirty spots” as GAF, our roofing manufacturer puts it (photo above depicts shingles losing their granules).
Should you repair or replace?
It’s worth it to replace if your roof is nearing the end of its expectancy. Often, roofers will give you a better deal to do the whole roof than just a portion of it.
If you still have quite a few good years left on your roof definitely take the time to repair faulty shingles with the identical shingles to the rest of your roof. We’ve all seen how terrible it looks when a roof has a poorly done, non-matching patch job.
Are you ready for a new roof or still unsure about your roof’s life expectancy? You can reach me, Stephanie, at svanderbilt@mycoastalwindows.com or 888-812-2783 and we can talk. Looking forward to hearing from you!
To learn more about Coastal Windows & Exteriors and why we’re the best roofing contractor in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine & Rhode Island, visit our Roof Installation page. At Coastal Windows & Exteriors we offer the best roofing products, roof installation & roof warranties in the industry.
