How to Know When Your Roof Needs Replaced.
- Jan 26, 2017
- 3 min read
If you're extremely lucky, you might get away with just having to carry out the odd preventative repair job on your roof. Some are luckier still and won't have to do anything other than routine maintenance. Even with a highly professional roofing project, it is to be expected that a roof will have its optimum longevity. While your roof may still look good from below there are certain signals that you should look out for.
Our roofs take a lot of battering (literally) because of where they are. They are out in all sorts of elements rain, hail or shine. To be fair with the right roofing contractor they can have a long life span but realistically, they can't be expected to last forever. We have created a list of considerations which will help to decide if your roof needs replacing.
1). The Age of Your Roof
The most obvious question to ask is, how long has your roof been on your home. The average roof life span is 20 to 30 years for a standard pitched roof. This will be influenced by the type of roof tiles that have been used and the standard of workmanship that was carried out initially.
At the very most, you would have possibly 5 to 10 years before serious issues could arise. If you need to set aside a budget to complete this kind of work it's probably best to prepare early rather than ignore it completely and hope for the best.
2) Your Neighbours are Having Their Roofs Replaced
Where there are a number of houses in the same area, chances are the roofs were built around the same time. Since most would experience similar conditions it's probably a good indication that yours needs some tlc too.
3) Entire Roof Tiles are Missing
Our roofs are out in extreme weather, with frequent strong winds during the winter, hailstorms and snow. It's always better to get these checked out and avoid the risk of encouraging rain or water into your home.
4) Tiles are Cracked
The appearance of cracked tiles is a good visible indication that some part of your roof at least isn't up to standard. This might just mean a repair job on the defunct tiles, it always worth investigating further.
5) Granules in the Gutter
If it's been a while since you've had anything done on your roof and you notice bald spots on your tiles, this can be a signal that the layer of weather protection on the surface of your tiles is deteriorating. This can bring about premature aging.
6) Roof Tiles Covered in Moss or Algae
Moss and algae aren't the worst of problems to have. Typically, they can affect the waterproof layer on the surface of tiles although sometimes there can be quite extensive growth that will loosen tiles. They have a spongy texture and therefore have a tendency to absorb any moisture that's in the atmosphere. Usually it can be treated with a simple solution of part bleach, part water. This is applied with a normal hose as opposed to a power hose which can damage the roof tiles.
7) Light Coming into Your Attic Space
Another obvious alert that something is definitely not right on your roof is where you can see light coming in. It's not only sunlight that you need to watch out for, it's also any damp patches. Where you have a leak, you are also inviting water, cold air and even snow into your home. It is possible to make small repairs but it could be more cost effective to consider replacing your roof instead if it's a bigger issue and particularly if your roof is showing signs of aging anyway.
8) A Sagging Roof
A roof that dips is understandably not a positive sign as it could have structural implications. However, it's much easier to manage the problem if it's caught as soon as possible while it's small and localised rather than allowed to progress.
If you would like more information on replacing your Soffits and Fascias or would like to book a FREE consultation to have a roof review completed please contact us on 087 923 3663 or email iymbuilder@gmail.com 'I'm Yer Man: Building and Roofing Specialist' has over 30years experience providing roofing solutions projects. See more at Roof Replacements and Repairs and read what our clients say about our work.
Read more about roofs:
Comments