Ideally speaking, it is a good idea to get a roofing professional out once every year or two to climb up on your roof and make sure that everything is still in good working order. It is a step that could help you pick up problems early on and so save money on expensive repairs later.
But it isn’t something that everyone might have the budget for. In this post, we will look at the signs that might indicate that it is time to replace your asphalt shingle roof.
Granules Missing from the Shingles
This can be difficult to spot, but a good sign is that you can see patches start to develop. These will either be lighter or darker depending on the color of the underlying shingles. Another sign to look out for is where you start seeing granules collect in the gutters.
It is natural for some of the granules to come off over time. But if a lot are missing, your asphalt has no protection from UV radiation. While you might not see your roof leaking immediately when the asphalt starts breaking down, you will, and the shingles will start wearing out.
Shingles that Start Curling
Once the asphalt starts to wear, it will dry out and begin to shrink. As it shrinks, the shingles start to curl. As the shingles are not as well protected as they used to be, they will wear faster and become brittle. More and more shingles will blow off when there is a strong wind.
If there are a lot of shingles curling, your roof is on its way out.
Moss
Moss here and there is not a problem. If you get to it quickly enough and clean it off (NOT with a power washer), you can often stop it doing a lot of damage. If, on the other hand, it is left to get out of hand, then you are going to have a problem sooner rather than later as the moss damages the shingles.
You Have an Aged Roof
In some cases, it pays you to make a few repairs. In others, it’s better to replace the whole thing. If your roof is in the region of twenty years old, and starting to leak, it’s time for it to retire. Get a new asphalt roof installed because it won’t last much longer. To see what it costs for an asphalt shingle roof, click here.
You might be hoping for an accident to happen that means you can claim from your insurance for the replacement. Even if that does happen, the insurer is not going to pay the full replacement cost anyway.
