Five Signs You Need to Replace Your Roof

At Divine Roofing, we know that even the most advanced, well-built roof is not impervious to wear and tear, which means after a while you’ll need to replace it. Our team has put together 5 signs on when to replace your roofing, check for water stains, missing tiles, check the age of your roof, roof care as well as what the attic conditions are. Because so many homeowners don’t pay enough attention to their roof, few recognize that the time has come to replace it until it’s too late and they need to have their roof replaced. So how can you tell when the time has come and you need to have a new roof installed over your head? If you pay close enough attention, your home will tell you.

Here are five of the most common signs that you need to replace your roof.

1. Water Stains in the Ceiling

Have you noticed several discolorations on various ceilings throughout your home? These are usually caused by water leaking through your roof and soaking into the drywall in your ceiling. While one or two of these stains, especially smaller ones, are not necessarily a sign that you need a full roof replacement, several instances or particularly large stains that get darker and more pronounced each time it rains are all huge signs that your roof has sustained serious damage and needs to be completely replaced. Keep your eyes open for these stains, particularly along areas that are in direct contact with your roof, such as rooms with vaulted ceilings or areas that do not have attic space overhead.

2. Missing Tiles or Shingles

High winds, heavy rains, heavy snowfall, ice dams, and plenty of other things can cause shingles or tiles to come loose and break away from your roof. This is particularly dangerous because it leaves a massive exposed area of underlayment which can be susceptible to leaks, and can absorb the water, cause wood rot and mold growth, and much more. Missing shingles aren’t always a sign that you need a full roof replacement—if you get to them quickly you may be able to prevent serious damage and repair what little has formed. However, if you choose to ignore missing shingles for too long, the remainder of your roof may have been compromised which means you need to replace it in order to restore full protection. The last thing you want is to have to call for emergency roof repair.

3. Roof Age

Your roof material will give you a baseline with which to determine about how long you can expect it to last. Clay and concrete tiles can usually last anywhere from 30 to 50 years or more before needing replacement, while asphalt shingles typically only last about 10 to 15 years. Different materials also have their own durability and expected longevity. When your roof is approaching its estimated useful life, you’ll probably start to notice a few more flaws and minor issues starting to crop up, and they’ll do so more frequently. This is usually a sign that you should start considering a total replacement for your roof. Continuing to repair it time and time again just isn’t cost effective when you’re only prolonging its already short remaining life.

4. Roof Care

Likewise, the amount of care you take of your roof also determines how long you can expect it to last. Roofs that receive proper care and maintenance can often outlast their estimated lifespan, providing you with many additional years of problem-free protection and comfort. However, roofs which are neglected and left to rot with unrepaired issues and leaks will last only a small fraction of their estimated lifespan. If you know your roof has received proper attention and been well cared-for, then odds are your minor problem is just a simple fix. However, a roof that has suffered neglect and received little attention probably needs to be replaced.

5. Attic Conditions

Take a quick trip into your attic and you should be able to tell pretty quickly if you need a total roof replacement. First, if your attic is extremely humid almost constantly, then there’s a good chance that the constant exposure to water vapor due to poor air flow has probably caused serious damage to your roof’s structure, mandating a total replacement as soon as possible. Likewise, if there are some sizeable mold colonies growing on the wood in your roof as well as a strong mildew odor, then you likely have serious moisture problems that need replaced.