Roofing is one of the essential parts of your property, keeping it maintained to prevent leaks and other issues is simply a part of property ownership. But at some point, every roof reaches the end of its life, and you need to think about a roof replacement.
But before you start Googling for ‘roofer near me’ or talking to local roofers in NJ, you need to know when that point is. After all, a new roof is an expensive investment, so you always want to get the most out of your existing roof and not replace too early.
A few loose roofing shingles can be fixed without replacing everything. However, you will need to renew eventually, so here are a few things to help you understand when it is time for your property to get a roof replacement.
How old is your roof?
A standard shingle roof will last 20 to 25 years, after that it is likely time for a roof replacement. If you have purchased the property within that time, check the records the previous owner left for you, and look for your roofing contractor warranty or any other documentation that shows how old the roof is.
Being 20+ years old doesn’t mean your roof needs replacing immediately, but if it is that old, it’s time to start checking for signs of aging more thoroughly.
Aging Shingles
A sure sign that the roof is coming to the end of its life is curled shingles. If you look at the roof and see a lot of shingles have begun to curl at corners and edges or tabs are cupped, you need to talk to a local roofing company in North Jersey about a roof replacement.
Curling is a sign of the shingle material itself reaching the end of its effective life, and once it begins happening for large numbers of shingles, will eventually spread to the rest, so simply replacing the damaged shingles will not be enough.
Aging can appear in other ways too, cracking can occur as the material passes its life expectancy too, so if you see cracks developing, especially ones that pass through multiple individual shingles, a roof replacement is probably due.
One other issue that age causes is bald spots, where granules are missing from areas of the roof. Not only does this look ugly, but it’s a sign that the roof will start to let moisture through and a roof replacement from a roofing contractor in Northern NJ is needed.
Roof Appearance
You don’t always need a roofer to get onto your roof in person to spot issues, take a look yourself from the ground. If you see sagging, this can be a sign of trapped moisture causing internal problems, and you will need a NJ like Remco Roofing to prevent additional damage to your home.
Moss growth or dark stains that can be caused by Algae are not necessarily signs that you need a roof replacement, however they can indicate trapped moisture and act as an early warning for sagging roof problems. If you see these issues, call a roofer and get things checked out, you may be able to prevent the problem progressing.
Look at your Neighbor’s roofs
Finally, if many of your neighbors are having roof replacement work done, it may indicate that yours needs replacing too. Residential roofing tends to last a similar time on every property, so homes built at the same time are often on the same schedule for roof replacement.
If you do find yourself needing a roof replacement, always get a professional to check things over and explain your options for dealing with the issues your roof has. Choices such as architectural shingles for your roof replacement can dramatically extend the life of the new roof, and a professional roofer like Lema Home Improvements can help you find the best balance between cost and performance to suit your needs.