It’s no wonder you’re curious how to know if you need a new roof – your roof protects so many of your precious assets, including the people who sleep under it! So it’s important to take care of your roof and replace it when necessary – leaving a compromised roof in place can damage your belongings and ultimately the overall structure of your home.
1. Look up and do a quick visual inspection from the ground
How many times do we actually look up onto our roof? Probably not as often as we should! Take a minute to do a quick visual inspection (safely from the ground).
Do you notice any shingles that are missing? What about shingles that may be buckling, semi-attached, or flapping around? Are pieces of flashing pulling from the transition? Don’t worry about climbing up on the roof – we are happy to inspect that for you when we give you an estimate.
2. Check the gutters for small shingle debris
Your roof will have different degrees of pitch throughout, and that’s pretty normal. However, it should still be fairly straight along its lines. Believe it or not, the contents of your gutters can reveal signs of your roof wear and tear. If you begin to see small granules or pieces of shingles in the gutters, downspouts, or on the ground beside the downspouts, this is a sure sign that the asphalt shingles are degrading.
3. Look around the chimney and skylights
The chimney and skylights are actually an integral part of your roof! Check to see if bricks have shifted or if the flashing has pulled away from the chimney or skylights. These changes in the the structure can let in moisture that’s undetected.
4. Check the attic for signs of moisture
If you have access to the attic, take a peek. Does the wood appear wet or have mold? Damp decking or rafters is a good indicator of a current leak, but the existence of mold can show you that moisture has found its way through the roof at least once.
Are the nails coming through the roof rusty? That’s another indicator of moisture breaking through the barrier. If you can, touch the interior roof decking material and rafters – if it feels spongy or looks like it’s rotting, then the roof needs to be address sooner rather than later.
5. A sagging roof is a sign to take action
If you notice that your roof is sagging in certain areas, the integrity of the roof many be compromised. Your roof is designed to keep the elements out and the interior of your home safe and dry – but once the sagging begins, the structure of the whole roofing system has changed.
When your new roof is installed, Golden Group Roofing examines the entire roof deck when the previous roof is removed. From there, we can look at all the components that need to be replaced, including rafters and roof decking.
6. Your roof is more than 20 years old
If you don’t know how old the roof is, check to see when the current roof was installed. If you don’t remember or the previous owner didn’t leave the records for you, you may be able to look this information up at your local city or town hall.
Even the most durable materials and excellent installation will suffer from wear and tear over time, especially when subjected to the harsh winters of England. Heavy winds, ice build up, extreme temperatures, and debris falling from trees will degrade your roof over time.
So when you’re ready to get a new roof soon, we’re happy to come do a visual inspection and give you a detailed project quote, including all materials, permits and debris disposal for you to review before you make a decision.
It’s easy to get an estimate – you don’t even have to be home! We’ve invested in cutting edge technology to view the exterior of your home and give you a full multi-page project plan that you can review at your leisure. We’ll even inspect the interior roof decking in your attic at your request.
When in doubt, do you don’t have to keep guessing how to know if you need a new roof. If you see any of these signs, book your roofing estimate now with Golden Group Roofing or call 508-873-1884.
