When Should I Replace my Roof, Gutters, and Windows?

Your home is an extremely large and important investment, meaning protecting it is a high priority. Over time, even the most well-built home will sustain wear and tear as your home’s exterior is exposed to the harsh sunlight, cold temperatures, rain, snow, and other hazards that wear on its external features. After a while, these external features, such as your roof, rain gutters, and windows will wear out and need replacement. These can be a tremendous expense, but waiting too long can actually lead to further damage, so you’ll want to fix these things when necessary. Here are a few signs you should consider replacing each of these features.

Replacing Your Roof

Your roof is the largest and most important line of defense your home has against the elements. A roof must be able to withstand countless hours of sunlight exposure every day, adapt to changing temperatures, withstand high winds and impact from debris, and support itself against the extra weight of snow and ice. And perhaps most importantly, it must do all this while remaining water tight to protect your home’s structure and your possessions from damage due to water leaks. While a leak can be repaired if it’s detected early, after a while even the most well-kept roof must be replaced.

The biggest factor when it comes to maintaining your roof is its age. If you have an asphalt shingle roof that’s more than 20 years old, you’re probably due for a replacement. However, tile roofs and other hard roofing surfaces can typically last longer, especially if they’re regularly inspected and well-maintained. Slate roofs can actually last as long as 70 years or more if they’re cared for!

Another sign that you might want to replace your roof is the visible condition of your roof. If you’re missing shingles, have cracked or missing tiles, have exposed wood, balding spots, or curled or cracked shingles, you should consider a replacement. These are all signs that the years of wear and abuse have all taken their toll on your roof and you could be in for a lot of new leaks when the weather starts getting colder and wetter.

Replacing Your Windows

Windows have so many important functions for your home. Not only do they let natural outdoor light into your home, but they also can diminish noise, insulate your home, and even filter out harmful ultraviolet radiation. However, they’re a hole in your walls, and over time the seal around that hole will wear out, the glass will become old and brittle, and the weatherproofing will crack. This leads to the dreaded drafty windows which let warm air into your home during summer, let warm air escape during winter, and cost you a lot in higher utility bills. In even worse situations, your windows could actually be the source of a weather leak, allowing moisture to damage your home.

You should replace your windows if they’ve been in place for more than 15 years. However, if you don’t know how long you’ve had your windows, there are a few other ways to tell when you’re due for replacement. If your windows are difficult to open or close (including being difficult or impossible to open or close all the way), odds are the framing has warped and you should replace them. Moisture is also a tell-tale sign that your windows need replacement. Finally, if your windows are cracked in any way, you’re losing energy and should consider replacing them as soon as possible.

Replacing Your Gutters

Your rain gutters are extremely important to protecting the foundation of your home as well as your roof. Your gutters have the job of taking the water that rolls off your roof and carrying it away from your home to a drain. Over time, your gutters will also wear out, particularly if they’re infrequently cleaned. Gutters become clogged up with dirt, leaves, sticks, and other debris that lands on your roof, and this debris can cause clogs. Clogs mean stagnant water, which causes rust, and over time, also causes your gutters to bend and even crack under the weight.

If you notice your gutters are cracked, rusted, or bent, that’s usually a good sign that you should replace them soon. Many roofing companies will offer to replace your gutters when they perform a full roof replacement, so you can take care of both problems at once and give your home the best possible protection. However, if the damage only exists in a small portion of your gutter system, you can probably get away with changing just that small portion, and then replacing the rest when the time comes. This is particularly true for the sections near downpipes, since they usually the largest amount of water traffic, and thus are the most prone to clogging and wear over time.