When Do I Need a New Roof?
Jeremy Beebe
We get asked “How do I know when I need a new roof?’ way more often than “Do I need a new roof?”. Needless to say, most homeowners know that the roof is the only thing in between the weather and the biggest investment of your life. So how do you know when to replace your roof? There are a few factors involved that can give you a solid indication of when to replace your roof long before the elements find their way into your home. We’ll cover these ways below. So instead of asking another person “Do I need a new roof?’, take a few minutes to educate yourself so you can make that decision on your own.
Buckling Roof Supports
Buckling in roofs is a very common occurrence on homes of 20 years in age or more. Buckling can be caused by several things including wet underlayment, wrinkled or cheap feeling, missing shingles and a handful of other factors. Buckling is when your roof support structures begin to “buckle” under its weight and unseen water damage. You know you have buckling if your roof has a wavy or rolling look to it. This is usually seen on older, and sometimes not so old, production and custom-built homes. If your home is experiencing any amount of buckling, for whatever the reason, it is imperative that you get your roof replaced. It would be a great idea to start taking free estimates for a full roof replacement before any further damage because the longer you wait, the more the damage will spread, which could incur extra costs.
Curling and Cracking Roof Shingles
Curling and cracking roof shingles are common sights on older homes. Curling shingles come from normal wear and tear but can be sped up significantly in areas with high wind and dirt (The High & Low Desert especially!). Not only is the dirt riding on the wind a factor but bad ventilation, poor fastener placement, and wet underlayment can all be contributing factors to the literal “curling” of organic and non-organic roof shingles that the name is derived from. Cracking, very much like curling is simply described. Cracking is when shingles have begun cracking due to excessive movement and/or improper ventilation. So “Do I need a new roof?”. If you have cracking or curling, then the answer is a resounding yes.’
Wind Assisted Shingle Roofing Blow-Off
We’ve all seen cases of “blow-off”, of this much I am certain. Blow-off is very easily described and stays true to its name. When a shingle or strip on shingles get blown off roofing the structure, that’s blow-off. This most typically comes in places like The High and The Low Desert, Fontana and many others. This has become a huge problem. Wind gets under the edges of these roofing shingles and blows on them, prying them up from the roof completely. If you are experiencing any blow off, then you must seek estimates on replacement roofs as soon as possible. If you have this going on in your home and you are asking your “When should I replace my roof?”, the time is now!
Weather Aggravated De-Granulation
Have you ever seen a shiny roof? Or one, with what appears to have some sort of white material peeking up through the shingles? This is what we in the roofing business call De-Granulation, de-granulation or more commonly known as Granule Loss, is when a roof begins to lose the granules of rock that are adhered to the top of the shingle sheet. De-granulation can occur for multiple reasons, with the most common of them being excessive attic and surface heat causing the tar to melt and solidify throughout the day as your attic changes from one extreme to the next. If you notice this going on with your roof, don’t ask yours “Do I need a replacement roof?”, it may be a better idea to seek out some more information on a new roof at your next convenience.
When Do I Need A New Roof?
When it comes to your roof, we’re no longer talking about the things that you want or would like to have. Where roofing is concerned it is closer to a matter of when you need to replace your roof and not when you should or want to do so. Using your newly garnered knowledge on how to spot roof issues, you can feel comfortable knowing that when you do move forward with an outstanding company like California Showcase Construction, you’ve made the right decision because you know that is the right time to get your roof replaced
Roof Buying Tip: Gathering quotes and purchasing roofs during the summer will yield the most competitive pricing!
