Early Signs You Need A Roof Replacement

One night during a rainstorm, you’re sitting in your living room with your family and you notice a leak running down the wall. You’re able to determine that the source of the leak is a section of the roof, but it’s small enough that it isn’t hurting anyone. You decide to apply some sealer and call it a night. During the next rainstorm, the leak begins to show its face again. After repeated attempts to seal it up, your roof eventually gives way and releases a flood of damages upon your home.

While this situation is severe and rather unlikely, old roofs can lead to leaks and leaks will build up. One inch of water from a leaky roof will lead to $10,000+ in damages. If your home is suffering from a roof that needs to be replaced, it’s best to act fast rather than wait around for it to get worse. Address the issues before they become more costly.

One of the most daunting aspects of being a homeowner is knowing when a part of your home needs to be replaced. You’re not always going to see that leak coming from the ceiling during a rainstorm, and it’s more likely that you might not notice the age of your roof until it’s too late. So how do you know when your roof needs to be replaced? We’ve compiled a list of a few signs that will warn you to the possibility of an old roof that needs to go.

Signs of a Near Future Replacement

When assessing your roof, there are a few features that you’ll want to keep an eye out for which tend to signal the end of your roof’s life. If you notice any of these issues on your roof, you might want to continue watching for further development, or contact a roof replacement company to get a quote. When it comes to the health and safety of your home, it’s best to act fast before it’s too late.

When the shingles on your roof begin to curl at the corners or the edges, it’s typically because of age. Roofs are built to last and when the shingles are losing their adhesion to the roof itself, it’s a warning that age is beginning to take hold of your roof. Another sign that could signal the end of your roof is cracked or missing shingles. This plays into the same idea as the curled edges – shingles are a great messenger as to the health of your roof.

The age of your roof is another fantastic indicator as to the health of it. While shingles are being built to last, there still exists a time limit for how long they’ll be good for. The average life of a roof is 20 years, so if you’re getting close to that mark on your roof, you should consider replacement options. While it’s possible a roof can last longer, this is the recommended replacement time.

Don’t stand alone when your neighbors are starting to address their roof tops. If you live in a neighborhood, chances are that your homes were built around similar times. Your close proximity indicates that you’ve experienced similar weather patterns and wear or tear. If more than one of your neighbors are getting their roofs replaced, it might be a good idea to follow suit. This isn’t the best indicator as older homes can easily have gotten off track of roof replacement through their life with multiple owners. At the least, seeing your neighbors replace their roofs should remind you to look at the state and health of yours.

The Threat of Not Replacing Your Roof

Now that you know what to look for on your roof that might indicate a replacement in your near future, you need to understand the cost of not replacing. Replacing a roof can be quite expensive and the price is often times enough to dissuade a family from contacting a roof company. It’s unfortunate, but simply replacing your roof will be less costly than dealing with the damages that can occur if your roof begins to leak.

If you’re beginning to see leaks in your home, then chances are there are already thousands of dollars’ worth of damage hidden behind your walls or ceilings. Don’t let it get to this point. As we mentioned earlier, the average cost of water damage is $100,000 per inch of water. This means that if your home floods and the depth of the water is one inch, there is likely to be $100,000 worth of damages.

It might not seem like the water can really do that much damage, but removing the water, discarding everything that got ruined by it, and replacing all that was lost can quickly build up. The bottom inch is the main source of structural integrity for your home. Once that’s compromised, everything that depends on the first inch of your home is threatened.

Protecting your home from this potential water damage starts with your roof. It’s best to maintain and replace than to deal with issues that arise because of an already formed leak. Spend the money to prevent the issue rather than clean it up afterwards. Keep an eye out for signs of age on your roof and keep it maintained up until it needs a full replacement.

Protect Your Home and Your Family

Many insurance policies will help keep you financially covered when your roof needs replacement. You’ll still end up paying a hefty sum, but it’s much less than if your roof were to leak and other parts of your home needed to be replaced as well.

The issue with many home insurance policies is that damages that occur because of the wear and tear of a roof will not be covered. As the homeowner, you’re expected to keep up to date with maintenance and that any issues will be addressed before they become too much. If any damages occur because of your negligence, chances are your insurance policy will not cover you.

About Prime Roofing

Prime Roofing is a roofing company located in Eastern Jacksonville, just a few miles away from Jacksonville Beach FL. Give us a call today at (904) 530-1446 to schedule an estimate.