Repair or Replace: What to Do with Your Home’s Roof
The roof is perhaps the most important part of your home, but there will come a time when it will need to be repaired or replaced. It is constantly exposed to the elements, and several years’ worth of rain, wind and snow will take its toll on it. Things can get even worse if you live in a place that regularly sees severe weather. In some cases, all it takes is one big storm to severely damage a roof.
It’s obvious that your roof will require at least some maintenance at some point. Here are a few ways you can tell whether you can get away with making some relatively minor repairs or if you need to replace your roof altogether.
Moisture in Your Home
Seeing any amount of moisture in your home where it shouldn’t be is bad news, but it doesn’t always mean having to get a new roof. If you see some minor water damage in your walls instead of any severe leaks, you should be able to make some repairs and get at least a few more years out of your roof. If you see a severe leak or if the water damage is enough to cause some serious structural damage, it’s time to replace your roof.
Bald or Broken Shingles
Asphalt shingles will lose their granules and go bald over time, and some may peel and break in severe weather. It can be hard to tell that you have bald shingles just by looking up from the ground, but you might see granules washing down your rain gutters if you look closely. This is a sign that your shingles are old and should be replaced.
Fortunately, a few broken or bald shingles won’t require you to buy a new roof; all it means is that you need new shingles. Your roof will last for a while longer as long as you replace the damaged shingles.
Missing Shingles
On the other hand, shingles that are missing altogether could be a sign of a bigger problem. A few missing shingles can be replaced, but if too many are missing it’s often easier to just get a whole new roof. Missing more than a third of your shingles is a sign that your roof has some serious issues that may not be readily apparent to you. At this point, it’s best to call a contractor and replace your roof with something that you know will last for longer than a few more years.
Severe Weather
A roof will last at least 20 years as long as the worst thing that happens is the occasional thunderstorm or blizzard, but more severe weather can do enough damage to practically destroy the average roof. If you’ve recently been hit by a particularly bad storm, you should at the very least have your roof inspected. Not only can strong winds damage your shingles enough to let moisture into your home, but hail can really do a number on even the sturdiest of roofs. Being hit by severe weather isn’t a guarantee that you will need a new roof, but it is still one of the biggest reasons why people need an emergency roof repair or replacement.
Finding a Roofing Contractor You Can Trust
Inspecting or repairing a roof should always be left to professionals. With that being said, you also need to be careful of whomever you hire for any home renovation or repair job. Roofing scams are alarmingly common, so make sure you only hire someone who is licensed and insured. They should be able to produce their credentials at a moment’s notice. It will also help to use Google to look for reviews online or to ask your family and friends for recommendations. As we said before, your roof is one of the most important parts of your home, so you will want to leave it in the hands of a professional you can trust.
