Welcome to Family Roofing

Below are signs your roof needs to be replaced.

GUTTER DEBRIS

As you can see when looking at roof shingles, they overlap one another.  They are designed this way on purpose to increase functionality.  A strong 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  gutters that line your roof.  If your gutters have granules, 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 been stripped of their protective coating.  By the way, make sure you’re only checking your roof when the weather is good.

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.  It’s likely that you’ll find additional damage here and there.  The sooner you get these things repaired, the less money and time you’ll be spending in the future.

UNDERLAY WOOD ROT

When a roof is being constructed, the first thing that gets laid on the roof deck is called underlayment.  It’s a water-resistant barrier made out of rubberized asphalt, asphalt-saturated felt, or non-bitumen synthetic material.  It acts as a protection against bad weather.  The tiles and underlay keep water out by working together.  Standard roof patches can be used to repair a small, single tear in the underlay.  But larger tears or ones in hard-to-reach places are more difficult to repair. Water leakage sometimes happens through these area.

It’s always better to catch a roof leak for the water starts getting indoors.  Small leaks often go unnoticed, especially when looking at the roof from outside.  But as you would expect, leaks usually start small and grow over time.  Rotting underlay causes roof leaks more than anything else.  When the underlay looses its integrity, the roof’s foundation weakens.  This is the beginning of what would eventually become collapse (worst case scenario).  You can’t just replace underlay. In order to replace it, tiles have to be removed.

When you’re checking your roof, look for any parts where the underlay is exposed.  Tiles that are warped and lifting off the surface, exposing the underlay, need to be taken care of.

ROOF AGE

The older your roof is, the more likely it’s going to need replacement.  Roofs are made out of all kinds of different materials.  They’re constructed using many different techniques and styles.  But given time, they all need to be repaired and replaced.  One of the things that play a role in roof longevity is the number of shingle layers.  Some houses have a single layer while others have multiple.  Believe it or not, the multi-layer roofs tend to age faster.  If the roof has reached its twentieth birthday and it’s multi-layered, good chance replacement is due.

Roof-building techniques have gotten better over the years.  So the newer your roof is, the less you have to worry.  But that doesn’t mean that you should check anyway.  No matter what, at the 15-year mark, this is when you should have a specialist look at it.

LEAKY ATTIC

Water coming inside from the roof is not good.  The most common place that leaks occur is from the attic.  When you’re doing your biannual checkup, look at the attic-portion of the roof.  Look for dark streaks.  This means that water is penetrating the underlay and just about through the roof itself.  On the inside, look for stains, not the ceiling or walls.  These stains are usually circular.  This means that water has already found its way through.

Water leaks originating from the attic can be chimney-related issues.  The flashing of the chimney includes many seals and tiles.  If these elements break, water gets in.  Roofing that wasn’t installed very well also causes  attic leaks.

FLASH DAMAGE

Roof flashing is roofing elements placed on areas where water runoff is expected to the greatest.  It redirects water away from vulnerable seams.  Flashing is made of a material that water cannot penetrate, like galvanized steel or aluminum.  Roof areas the protrude, like a vent or a chimney, are also candidates for flashing.

Sometimes flashing can get damaged because of what are usually placed underneath them: caulking.  This material dries out due to oxidation.  When the caulking becomes damage, the flashing usually becomes damaged as well.  There are also ways that flashing can become loose.   If this happens, water is almost sure to seep inside the home.  Mildew, mold, and rotted wood often result from this.  This type of damage is very bad and can cause fatal damage to your 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).

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. Sometimes roofs have to be replaced entirely because of too much mold.

Repairing versus replacing a roof

Whether or not you should repair a damaged area versus replacing the whole roof should be a decision made with the help of a professional roofer.  If your roof is in great condition, with the exception of one area damaged in a storm, for example, you may be able to replace just the damaged area.  An expert roofer can assess by visual inspection and by walking around the surface of the roof to see if it is in need of a full replacement.  Some roofing manufacturers may not grant a warranty to a roof that is partially replaced, so be sure to ask the pros and cons of a full or partial replacement.

THINGS TO CONSIDER REGARDING ROOF REPLACEMENT

When Your Roof Was Installed or Repaired Last

Does your home have the original roof, or were repairs made within the past few years?  Depending on the type of shingles you have and the age of your roof, you may need to keep an eye out for leaks or even schedule a replacement.  When your roof needs to be replaced will depend on the existing structure and shingle type.  Asphalt shingles will hold up for 20 years, while wood shake roofs can last up to 30.

How Your Roof is Ventilated

Proper ventilation is important for a healthy roof system.  If your roof lacks air flow it may be susceptible to mold and mildew.  In addition to a main vent in your roof, there are a few other factors that affect how air moves through your attic to the roof.

Do a quick run through your attic to check for the following:

• A gap-free layer of insulation on the attic floor to protect the house from heat gain and loss.

• A vapor barrier under the insulation and next to the ceiling to stop moisture from rising into the attic.

• Enough open, vented spaces to allow air to pass in and out freely. Typically, a roof should have 1 foot of vent space for every 150 square feet of attic space. Calculate how many vents your roof needs here.

• A minimum of 1 inch between the insulation and roof sheathing.

What Type of Shingles You Have

A variety of materials can be used as shingles, from asphalt to wood or even slate.  Each one comes with a different warranty, and durability depends on your area.  Keep in mind that harsh weather conditions such as high winds or extreme cold can crack clay shingles.