DO I NEED A NEW ROOF? – Family Roofing

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At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

DO I NEED A NEW ROOF?

Sometimes a roof can naturally reach the end of its useful life without experiencing a roof failure.  If It just looks old and worn, and you are doing preventive maintenance on your home.

If replacing an old roof is delayed, however, it could result in bigger problems down the road.  So watch for the warning signs to be sure to give yourself plenty of time to add the project to your to-do list.

For help with your roof replacement project, call a Professional!

Signs to look out for:

Gutter Debris

As you can see when looking at roof shingles, they overlap one another.  They’re designed this way on purpose to increase functionality.  A strong glue (or sealant) is used to keep them steady. Over time, mostly due to weather friction and atmosphere changes, the sealant weakens.  Eventually, this results in tile deterioration which you can tell by looking in the wind gutters that line your roof.  If your gutters have a lot of debris, this is a sign.

If you see many chipped tiles, missing tiles, or crooked tiles, this means the sealant is weakening.  Don’t be alarmed by any little piece of asphalt shingle or asphalt gravel you see in the gutter.  A small degree is normal. But if you find a lot of roof debris collecting, this is a cause for concern. The most responsible homeowners replace tiles and protective coating regularly as they see fit.

Another thing to watch out for is an excessive amount of tree debris falling on your roof into the gutter.  One thing you really don’t want is a tree actually touching your roof.  Cut branches or cut down trees altogether if necessary.  The daily pressure from trees that have grown over the roof and are making contact with it is bad.  This weakens tile integrity much faster than normal.

When you’re checking the roof, look for tiles that are curled, distorted, deformed.  Also, notice any tiles that have stripped of their protective coating.

 RIDGE DAMAGE

Ridges are the place on your roof where two separate areas meet.  For example, a raised point where two sections of tiles laid in different directions come together.  Ridges (or at least one of the ridges, depending on the layout of your roof) is usually the highest point.  These areas are particularly important to the roof’s structural integrity.  Typically, if it comes to a point, the ridge will have a cap of some kind.  This prevents water from getting in.  Sometimes they’re used for ventilation purposes, as well.

More often than not, these sections of your roof are the first to show signs of wear.  This means that they’re often the starting point for more damage around the roof to form.  Bedding and mortar damage on the ridge almost always leads to damage elsewhere.  If your roof is showing ridge damage, you need to thoroughly check the whole roof.

Sagging

Most roofs have one main ridge. Take a close look at the ridge on your roof and make sure it’s perfectly straight.  If it isn’t, this is a sign of structural damage.  Any sagging of the ridge could eventually lead to roof collapse. There are handful of things that are usually the cause of roof sagging.  Heavy ice and snow, bad installation, the use of defective materials during installation, and water in large amounts (very heavy rainfall).

There are some things you can do to prevent sag.  First and foremost, clear all the rainwater from the roof if there are spots where it collects.  (This is yet another problem that needs fixing.)  Water shouldn’t remain in puddles on the roof.)  When building your home, make sure quality materials are being used to construct the roof.  The amount of weight your roof is capable of withstanding needs to be addressed and then designed accordingly.

Loose Shingles

Check for loose roof tiles.  This needs to be part of your regular roof checkup.  Get up there and gently step on the tiles.  If there loose, you know it needs to be changed.  The discovery of a couple loose tiles every 6 months isn’t something to be too concerned about.  When there are a handful or more every time you check, then you have a problem.

Moss And Mold

When moss and mold grow on the roof of a home, it forces the tiles apart.  This creates openings between tiles where water can get in.  Also, the presence of moss and mildew speeds up the tile-rotting process which leads to more problems.  When you check your roof, be sure to keep an eye out for that slimy stuff.  The longer mold and moss are allowed to fester, soon fungi and bacteria will grow.  Your roof is all but guaranteed water damage at this point.