How To Know Whether You Should Replace Or Repair Your Roof

For most homes and some commercial buildings, it can be hard to tell when the roof will fail. Your roof may appear fine day-to-day, but unexpectedly they may begin to deteriorate, leaving you in a tough situation. Here are three great things to look for to give yourself a heads up that your roof might be in trouble. If you feel any of these situations apply to you, it may be time to repair or replace your roof. Contact Royal Roofing!

Roof Age

The age of your roof is one of the most important factors to watch when it comes to failing. Generally, asphalt shingles will last between 20-25 years, architectural shingles can last for five decades, and slate or tile roofs can last for decades as well. Though this can increase or decrease depending on a number of factors, such as:

When your roof was last reshingled, were the old shingles removed first?
Is the roof properly vented and maintained?

If your answer is 'no' or 'I don't know', you may be in the market for a roofing contractor sooner than you expected.

Asphalt Shingles Curling/Buckling

Find the side of your roof which faces the sun, and see if any of the shingles there are beginning to curl or buckle. These are sure signs that the shingles are either past their life expectancy, or that the roof is defective in some way (old shingles weren’t removed, roof isn’t properly vented, installation was faulty, etc.)

Having a hard time seeing from the ground level? Be careful – climbing on a roof without proper equipment can be dangerous. Better to be safe than sorry; call a professional if you don’t feel comfortable climbing up there.

Dark Coloration

When you last cleaned your gutters (or hired someone to do it), where shingle granules found? Asphalt shingled roofs tend to lose more granules toward the end of their life. Also, as granules are removed, the shingles appear darker. If you’re able to notice some of your roof shingles look darker than others, these shingles may be past their useful life.

For commercial roofs, you may find dark coloration to be a sign of water damage or weakness, and those area should be avoided.

If you’re ready for a new roof, get in touch with Royal Roofing!