As a homeowner, keeping up with your property and ensuring it remains up to code at all times is one of your most important responsibilities. As with most investments in life, a property requires maintenance as years go on to bring maximum comfort and safety. If you’ve lived in your house for a decade or more, there’s a strong chance you have mulled over investing in a roof replacement. Before jumping to the decision to replace your roof entirely, there are a few obvious signs to look for to figure out whether or not the time is correct for you and your house.
 
Right off the bat, on your mission to figure out roofing, you’ve more than likely crossed the” 20″ year rule for replacing your roof. That number is utilized as a benchmark. Most residential roofs need replacing within that window. However, there are many variables to consider, and all roofs are unique.

All roofs take a lot of external wear and tear throughout each passing year. Sunlight, powerful winds, flying trees, wildlife, tropical storms, rain, or chaotic weather conditions – all of these have a direct effect on a roof’s lifetime. How quickly your roof needs to be replaced depends on many things:

Local weather.
Timely maintenance and care.
How old the materials are.
How good the materials used are.
Building and design.
Were repairs addressed when needed?
If wildlife was kept away.
External debris builds up.

Your Roof Is A Few Decades Old

One of the first things to consider before you begin inspecting your roof for cracks, breaks, and other wear and tear is its age. A roof that is 25 to 30 years or more may require a complete replacement, even if the roof itself appears in good shape from the untrained eye. Many old roofs were often built with roofing materials no longer in use or considered strong today. If your roof is a decade or more old, it might be time for a thorough inspection and potentially investing in an entirely new roof altogether, especially if your roof has been laid over a previous roof installation.

Begin By Inspecting Your Roof From the Inside Out

Prior to jumping to conclusions about getting a roof replacement, begin conducting your own research at home by inspecting your roof’s state from the inside out. Take a flashlight with you to your attic or to the space in your house where the interior of your roof is easy to see and look for the following signs to a more serious problem:

Beams of Light: Light beams are indicators of roofs that need replacements or repairs. To see the full extent, examine the interior of your roof during the day to locate and identify any light beams.

Leaks: Examine the attic for drips and potential leaks. When the roof starts leaking, other areas of your house and its foundation are put at risk, particularly if you do not address the roofing problem as fast as possible. Areas that are very damp can lead to further decay and mold, and fungus that can contribute to breathing and other health ailments.

Streaks and Stains: Thoroughly look over all of the insides of your roof and try to pinpoint potential spots, stains, and streaking. Examine any oddly colored area of your roof for additional information on its cause and potential leak culprit. Stains and streaks located in the interior of your roof are red flags to a bigger and more serious problem involving your roof’s remaining lifespan.

Missing, Loose, Or Cracked Shingles

Typically people don’t pay all that much attention to the condition of their roof. Usually not taking a good look unless there is a stain or dark spot viewable from the street or yard.

Weathered or dilapidated asphalt shingles are fairly simple to find if you search for them. Completely missing shingles may be replaced individually, but it’s oftentimes a sign of the bigger problem. Large areas of cracked or loose shingles (or those that are clearly falling apart) point to your roof needing a replacement.

Shingles can curl in two ways – cupping when the edges curl upward, or the second way shingles curl called clawing when edges remain flat, and the middle starts coming up. Both could indicate that.

Moisture has built up beneath the shingles because of inadequate ventilation in the attic.
Shingles were improperly installed.
Blistering and direct sunlight wears asphalt shingles down significantly.

Bald spots on your shingles indicate that the granules have begun falling off, exposing the asphalt below. Tip: Inspect your gutter for shingles granules. If rain carries them into your gutters, you likely need a re-roof.

Moss, Dark Spots And Algae Growth

Moss begins growing on roofs that don’t receive a lot of sunlight, particularly in cool and moist climates. Moss retains moisture against the surface, which can cause damage.

Is there fungus or other types of nature growing on top or out of your roof? If so, don’t worry. Nature tends to grow over any man-made building in its path if it is not properly tended to and maintained.

When inspecting your roof and the new growths you have spotted, make sure to do so by inspecting both the inside and outside of your roof. While the majority of algae growths are likely to be seen from the outside of your roof, when there’s a larger problem on-deck, nature may also be growing on its own inside the attic without your knowledge.

Most of the time, eliminating natural growths from a roof is a way to rapidly fix the problem without needing to do any meaningful roof repairs. However, if you notice excessive growths around your roof or even inside your home, the recommendation is to work with a roofing contractor to determine the root cause and reason for the growths.

When a roof has been completely covered in growth in nature, you may need to replace the roof in its entirety to stop the process in its tracks.

The good news is that algae growth and accumulation aren’t normally signs that you need to fix or replace your roof. Rather, algae are more of just an eyesore to your roof and one that is rather common in hot places like Southern Florida.

In the event your roof is indeed needing a full roof replacement in Saint Petersburg, there then becomes a number of decisions in the near future. Beginning with the roofing material to use, will you stick with asphalt or consider tile? Which roofing contractor will you hire? If, by chance, there’s a valid insurance claim. For many homeowners having the money required in the bank to get a roof replacement may not be viable; there are financing options available for homeowners offered by certain roofing contractors. Be sure to do due diligence before making your choice of contractor.