How Do I Know My Roof Needs Replacing?

If you have an aging house right now, you definitely want to know if your roof needs to be replaced. As a homeowner, you also need to know when to replace your roof, especially if it has existed beyond its maximum service life. 

Inspecting the Roof Interior

You need a flashlight with a bright beam before you get up to the attic. Once you’re up there, look for strong indicators that your roof will need to be replaced, such as:

1. Presence of Streaks or Marks

If you notice dark streaks or stains from the underside of the roof or ceiling below the attic floor, your roof is likely leaking. So grab your flashlight immediately and inspect for any apparent roof damage.

2. Passing Sunlight Through the Roof Structure

Before you use your flashlight:

• See if you can spot any stream of light passing through the cracks from the roof.
• Note that if the light is already passing through the roof, you should anticipate a gradual increase of leaking problems day by day.
• Once you spot any cracks or holes from your roof, repair the damage immediately to minimize the leak. 

3. Sagging Floorboards

When water penetrates from roof leaks, it can make roof structures underneath sag. If you fail to identify this problem during the early stages, then moisture damage and rot may become inevitable. Aside from sagging areas and watermarks, be sure to identify the obvious water leaks penetrating your roof interiors. Once you spot them, you must contact your nearest roofing specialist for immediate repair and further inspection.

Inspecting the Roof Exterior

After conducting the interior roof inspection, you may now go outside to check for any obvious signs of roof damage. Performing interior roof inspection is important to help you determine possible damaged areas that have already reached the roof’s interior side. On the other hand, Exterior inspection can help you identify any potential roof damage that may become irreparable soon. Look for these apparent signs of roof damage which you may notice on the outside, such as:

1. Dark Streaks and Surface Stains

As part of your regular inspection effort, search for any noticeable streaks or marks anywhere on the roof. Damaged tiles, sagging support structures, paint bubbles, and visible leaks are all strong indicators of water damage, so be sure to ignore them upon discovery.

2. Rot and Algae Growth

Rotting is just normal for wood shakes, clay tiles, and asphalt shingles. You may notice rotting when you spot some broken or chipped shingles as well as mold build-up around the damaged roof material. However, with regard to algae and mold growth, these aren’t signs that you need to repair or replace your entire roof since they only become an eyesore at your home facade.

3. Decaying Roof Materials

While rot is common for organic asphalt and wooden roofs, cracking is normally seen on shingles and metal roofs due to expansion and contraction from extreme temperature change. You should look for any missing shingles and other decay indicators like curling or buckling, which are often normal for synthetic and reinforced materials. Since you won’t be able to notice the damaged shingles from the ground, you can inspect for removed granules or protective coatings in your roof gutters and downspouts. Loose particles and shingle debris can be seen inside the gutters, indicating greater water damage and decay in the process.

4. Damaged Roof Features

Don’tDon’t blame everything on your installed roof. You may also find potential water damage from other roof features like chimneys and skylights. Since flashing is commonly installed around the base of your chimney, it’s more susceptible to water damage, particularly if your roof gutter is made of cement or tar. If you live in a non-traditional home, you may consider replacing your gutters with a stronger material flashing.

5. Roof Valley and Other Non-Typical Roof Design

A roof valley is an area where two low points of the roof connect. This area is highly prone to water damage since rainwater and snow flow through the valley before reaching the downspouts. So, make sure to keep this area free of roof debris and loose branches to avoid overflowing during heavy rainfall.

6. Aging Roof

One way to determine if you need a roof replacement is to know how old your current roof is. Asphalt roofing, for instance, is an expensive roofing option that usually lasts about 20years if properly maintained. You should know how long your roof has been existing if you’ve never moved to another house ever since. Aside from roof age, obvious signs like dark streaks, missing shingles, and heavy leaks should also give you a hint that your roof is already due to replacement.

7. Quality of Workmanship

It doesn’t require an expert roofer to determine poor quality repair or installation. If you ever spot shingles that don’t fit well or if nails aren’t hammered at the right zone, then your current roof might not be in good shape. Recurring repairs will also increase the risk of water damage, especially if your roof’s service life has already exceeded 20 years.

Performing Post-Inspection

After your personal inspection, do prior research and call a professional roof contractor to assess your roof’s present problem thoroughly. These inspection services are often offered free, so be aware of any roofing contractors in New York that charges you a certain amount of fee. During the inspection, inform the roofer about the damage you have listed prior to your scheduled appointment.

A roofing specialist may be able to validate your findings while looking for other potential roofing issues you may have overlooked. Don’t ignore any small crack or chip on your roof material and gutters, as the damage may get worse sooner than you expect. 

If you need further recommendations on whether to repair or replace your existing roof, contact TCI Manhattan Roofing NYC as soon as possible. We offer a wide variety of professional roofing services, from new roof installation to project estimates for all kinds of roofing systems.