The Pacific Northwest is known for its windy, rainy climate which can wreak havoc on the roof of a house over time. Many homeowners don’t realize they need a new roof until it’s too late: leaks, mold, and even daylight coming in through the roof boards are all signs of an expensive problem.
The trouble with roofs is that some of them can come to an end of their natural lives without experiencing leaks or catastrophic failures. In situations like this, it takes a trained eye to be able to discern the warning signs that the roof is about to fail.
While you can visually inspect your roof, it’s often best to call out a roofing professional to give you a free estimate. They will be able to see things that an untrained eye can’t. In many cases, a professional roofer can potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars if he finds roof damage that is about to give way to a water leak.
If you don’t suffer from a fear of heights and have an inkling about how roofs are constructed, here are five signs that you can look for that would indicate you need a new roof:
Curling or Cupping Shingles
A shingle that is curled or cupped usually means it’s close to being at the end of its lifespan. It can be caused by extreme outside heat, manufacturer defect, or inadequate attic ventilation which can attack the shingle with trapped heat from below.
Other times a multi-layered roof can lead to premature shingle curling. Even though this process is much cheaper than replacing the entire roof, the 2nd or even 3rd layer of shingles can be affected by high wind or heat.
Time left before a new roof is needed: Depending on the number of shingles affected and extent of curling, you have anywhere from six months to a couple of years of life left.
Shingles Are Missing
Missing shingles can be easily replaced on a onesies-twosies kind of basis. The problem is that if your roof is older, it can be downright challenging, if not impossible to find a shingle that matches the exact color and won’t stand out like an eyesore.
Even the slightest color variation will cause that shingle to stand out from the rest when viewed from the sidewalk or street.
Time left before a new roof is needed: Missing shingles are more of an aesthetic issue than anything else. Once the roof starts to look like a multi-colored checkerboard, most people opt to replace it with a new one.
Granules in the Gutter
If you’re finding granules in your rain gutter, this can mean one of two things:
- You just had a new roof installed, and this is perfectly normal.
- You’re going to need a new roof in a few years.
The granules you find on a roof shingle are designed to protect the asphalt from the hot rays of the sun. Once those granules start to lessen in density, the sun will quickly heat up and bake the asphalt, and everything will start to go downhill rapidly.
Time left before a new roof is needed: If your roof isn’t new and you’re noticing granules in your gutter, your shingles are probably halfway to three-quarters into their overall lifespan.
Sunlight from the Attic
This one’s pretty obvious. You’ve got a hole somewhere in your roof. At this point time, it’s best to grab a flashlight and start looking for signs of mold and water damage. With as much moisture as we get in the Pacific Northwest, there’s a good chance there’s damage somewhere.
Time left before a new roof is needed: Call a roofer immediately.
Age of Your Roof
Most Seattle and Tacoma homes come with roofs that were originally advertised as having a 30 to 40-year lifespan. That’s in ideal conditions. We live in the Pacific Northwest, where water, moisture, and wind are a daily reality for most of the year.
The elements can cause premature wear and tear on your roof. If your roof is nearing its 25th birthday, it’s best to call out a roofer to inspect it. You might have anywhere from one to five years before it will start to fail.
Time left before a new roof is needed: A few years, depending on the climate and wear and tear of the roof. A roofer could give you a better estimate as to how long you have before leaks start to appear.
Roofing Experts in Tacoma
At ACME Roofing, our experienced roofing experts are here to serve you. If you think your roof might be prematurely aging, or you would like a free professional 2nd opinion, give us a call at (253) 564-2292 or contact us via our website.
When it comes to roofs, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure, and you could be saving yourself tens of thousands of dollars in damages later down the road by getting your roof inspected now.