Depending on the type of material, your roof will eventually wear out, break down, and need replacement. But replacing a roof is a hard decision to make considering it will require a significant amount of your precious time and money. Deciding as to whether or not to replace your old roof is way beyond witnessing a leak or two inside your property. And in order to make the entire decision-making process a whole lot easier, here are some important clues or factors to consider and avoid ill-thought decisions that will haunt you with a seemingly endless cycle of regrets in the future:
- How old is your roof?
Different roof materials have varied life expectancies so it is best that you are well aware of your roof’s longevity. So if your roof has already lived out more than half of its guaranteed product life and if you’ve been seeing some structural problems far too often, then it’s best to relieve your old roof with a new one.
- Gutter check!
If you haven’t checked up on your gutters for a while now then perhaps now is the perfect time to have at least a quick peek. If you see a considerable amount of granules being washed off towards your gutters, then it is a clear and obvious sign that your roof shingles are wearing out thus, need replacement.
- Check your roof valleys too…
Roof valleys are among the most critical sections of your entire roof system. Snow and rainwater flow into these sections before heading straight into the gutters. If you see some seriously chipped or torn-out shingles within these areas, it is best to have your roof replaced as soon as possible before other important sections of your property are compromised because of the leaks.
- Take a walk (on your roof)
In this process, extra precautions must be observed. Before you do this, make sure that another family member or person who also lives in the house knows what you are planning to do. Take one careful step at a time. If you feel like your foot sinks at least half an inch every time to take a step forward, this simply means that your roof framing has weakened thus, needs replacement. One common factor that can contribute to this is moisture and unnoticed or unattended roof leaks.
- Daylight in your attic!
If daylight has penetrated indoors except of course from your windows, this simply means that the integrity of your roof boards has already been compromised and that you don’t have to wait for the rain to come before you decide to replace your roof.
Apart from the aforementioned ones, there are lots of other clues and factors that will help you decide on replacing your old and worn-out roof. Just bear in mind that unattended or overlooked minor roof problems can lead to worse and more expensive problems in the future.