Even if youâre not a carpenter, itâs important to be able to recognize when your home needs repairs. Aside from just looking unsightly and unwelcoming, a home in need of maintenance work can pose some risks to you and your family (not to mention your budget). Whether youâre an experienced homeowner with a family or if youâve just moved out of your childhood home, itâs always a good idea to stay on top of your game and keep your home as safe as possible. If you notice any of the following five things, it could be time for you to consider replacing your roof.
1. Leaks. A leaky roof doesnât have to manifest itself by a steady stream of water. In fact, leaks are often much more insidious than that. The first thing youâll want to look for is water stains. These are usually brownish and can vary in size. Theyâll appear in the highest ceilings of the building can make their way down the walls, especially in corners. Another hallmark of a leak is peeling paint. If your paint or wallpaper is bubbling or lifting up, it could be a sign of surplus moisture. Seeing mold or mildew appearing in corners of your ceiling is also a telltale sign of extra moisture. If thatâs the case, start by cleaning out your gutters and see if that alleviates the problem at all.
2. Your shingles are curling or buckling. These can happen in a few different ways: either the edges of the shingles begin to lift up, or the middle rises while the edges remain flat. This is a sign of age, especially if you can bend the shingle yourself and it breaks or crumbles in your hand. The shingles are no longer sealed properly and will result in slow damage to your roof. Whenever youâre ready, you should think about replacing them.
3. Sagging âvalleys.âProbably the most pressing issue when it comes to roof damage, a sagging area in your roof indicates structural damage or wear, either the flanks in your attic or the foundational support. These can be especially dangerous in the winter months, as snow will collect in these dips. Instead of melting or sliding off, theyâll form a puddle, which can cause leaking in addition to the weakening of the structure. You should get this looked at by a professional before it spreads.
4. Missing or cracked shingles. These tend to present themselves as strange, hard granules in your gutter, as the shingles crumble apart, mostly due to wind force. They sometimes can leave noticeable bald spots, by which we mean places in the shingle where the material is flaking away, not so much a real patch of space on your roof where the shingles are missing â those you would notice right away. Fortunately, a couple of damaged shingles usually do not necessitate replacing the entire roof, since this is usually a more superficial problem.
5. Daylight is coming through the roof boards. If you can go up into your attic and you see any light slanting in through the boards, this is an obvious sign of gapping, buckling, or some other damage. This kind of damage can vary in magnitude, so itâs best to call a professional to take a look.