When was the last time you did the exterior of your home for renovations? Most homeowners don’t realize they need any renovations on their home exterior until they’ve given it a proper look. You might walk in and out of your house every single day, but are you spotting all of the issues?
Can you see when you need roofing tile repair because there are some shingles that are missing or broken? Are you seeing how stuffed up your gutters are and how blocked they are getting? Probably not. You won’t notice most of these things because you’re not looking up as you walk into the house. Roof problems often will cause leaks, and they will have the potential to do damage in your gutters, and while it’s not always necessarily the best thing to replace the entire roof, and less you are repairing it or keeping an eye on it enough, that’s where it’s going to go.
You should be having annual maintenance done on your roof so that it survives the elements and continues relatively unscathed, but what are the signs that your roof needs a check up? Well, we’ve got them for you below.
- Your roof is old. How old is your house? When did you move in? When was it built? All of these questions should help you to ascertain the age of your house, because that can help you to figure out how old your roof is. Most roofs have asphalt shingles and these can last up to 25 years. The problem with this is that if you are living in an area that has plenty of hail storms during the year, or damaging wind, then the roof may not last as long as it should. If several layers are existent on a 20 year old installation, you might need a new roof. If there is a lack of sufficient ventilation, or your roof has been on the House for 30 years now and it’s been a long time since we’ve had any replaced tiles, then it may be worth having a look.
- You’ve notest that the shingles are starting to curl. Did you know that shingles can buckle and curl overtime? If you notice that shingles have become misshapen, this can indicate a new roof as a good idea. Some shingles are obviously curling at the edges, where others are broken or loose or even losing granules. Anything that’s loose is going to let in the weather, and the whole job of your roof is to keep the weather out. If you are noticing curly shingles, it’s time to call an expert.
- Your roof has compromised valleys. The valleys on your roof are there to direct the rain and other elements such as snow and ice to the gutter. This prevents the water from pooling and weighing heavily on your roof eventually causing a collapse. The problem is that a compromised valley leads to standing water, and that standing water can cause your roof to cave in. It also can make your roof susceptible to leakage, and you should look for damaged or missing shingles in those areas.
- You can see the missing shingles. When you are coming down the road at the end of the day, and you look towards your house, you will be able to see when there are shingles missing. If you notice one of your roof shingles missing it’s going to need a patch. You may even end up needing a new roof, if shingles have fallen out of position after years of exposure to the other natural elements.
- Is your chimney flashing? We don’t mean with lights, but your chimney flashing can cause concern if it was constructed from roof tar or even cement. These can erode over time, and as you know the wind and rain tends to batter the roof and the chimney. You should be checking for all installation problems and cracks in your chimney flashing and if you do notice it, it may need to be replaced with a better, long term fitting made of metal.
- Are your shingles losing granules? Overtime, shingles tend to lose their granules but you’ll notice it more at the end of the life of your roof. Using a ladder, go up onto the roof and have a look, but it’s much easier to take a look in your gutters; Just make sure somebody is spotting you under that ladder. Roof valleys can direct the granules into the gutter system, and not only do they cause gutter blockages, it’s a good indication that your roof does need a repair or replacement.
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