Westchester roofing companies deal with a lot of roofing calls on a day-to-day basis, and one of the most common questions that they comes across is, how do you know when it is time to replace the roof? This might seem like a silly question to some people, but you would be surprised at how many people think they new a new roof one they develop a small leak. Just because you have a small leak dripping inside the home it does not necessarily mean that you need a whole roof replacement. The leak could be a result of several different small problems that just require a simple, inexpensive fixes.
With all that being said, how do you truly know when it is time to change that old roof? Below, you will learn about different information and red flags that might be a good sign that you need to replace your roof.
Knowing The Age Of Your Roof
More than likely you probably have an asphalt shingle roof since this is the most common type of roof. Any Westchester roofing expert will tell you that you can get 20 to 25 years out of a properly maintained asphalt shingle roof. This is considering that it was properly installed from the get go. This can also depend on the fact that if the old shingles were removed when the roof was replaced or if the new shingles were just placed right over top of the old ones. Whatever the situation is, you need to be aware of the type of roof that you have and exactly how old it is. You also need to know the lifespan of it.
So, now you know that if you have an asphalt shingle roof and if it is 20 years or older when you develop a leak, you are probably better off to just go ahead and replace the roof altogether.
Curling And Buckling Of Shingles
If you do not know the age of your roof, you can keep an eye out for curled or buckled shingles. When you start seeing curled or buckled shingles this is a pretty good sign that the shingles have ran past their life expectancy. In most cases curled or buckled shingles can be located from the ground, but depending on how complex your roof is, you might have to get out a ladder and climb up on the roof. Keep in mind that just because you are seeing curled and bucked shingles it does not necessarily mean that your shingles are passed their life expectancy. It could mean that the shingles were not installed properly and some changes need to be made.
Roof Valleys
Some roofs are composed of several different valleys, which just happen to be one of the most important parts of the roof. This is the part where rain, snow, and other debris flow down into the gutters. While you are inspecting the valleys, if you notice damaged or missing shingles this is a really good indication that you need a complete roof replacement.