You probably don’t want to replace your home’s roof before you need to, but you don’t want to wait too long, either.
Not sure if you need to finally top your house with a new roof? Here’s how you know if you need to finally invest in this costly home renovation.
You can see the wear and tear
If you can see signs of wear and tear, including cracks and peeling, you may have a problem. If you’re not sure, call a trusted roofer to get them to inspect it. They’ll be able to estimate how long you have left with your current roof.
If you’re still working on preserving your roof, don’t wait until wear shows. Try inspecting your roof once or twice a year to eyeball cracking, warping, shingles that have gone missing, cracked paint, plasterboard that’s discoloured, and more.
Your roof is leaking
A leaking roof is pretty easy to spot thanks to warped paint or wallpaper. Generally it’s a sign that you might need a new roof, but not always. Sometimes leaks happen because of damage on the roof that can be fixed. It might be a case of replacing some shingles because of a toppled tree limb, for example. (Shingle replacement is a fairly easy process. Remove the torn or damaged ones and attach new ones.) A roofer should be able to give you a proper assessment of the situation.
But the good news is…
Even if it’s not a patch job, it may just be a partial roofing, which will certainly cost you less than working on the whole roof. Just be sure to match your roofing shingles. That said, if it’s only part of your roof and the rest of the roof is looking as if it may need replacement in the next five years, you may consider getting it all done while you’ve got a roofer onsite and avoid twice the labour charges down the road.
How long should it last?
If you do decide to replace your roof, you can expect that it’ll be 15 to 20 years before you have to do it again, depending on the climate you live in and the type of shingles you install. (Your roofer can help you decide on the type of roof materials that are best for your needs. Slate roofs, for instance, can last more than 50 years, while asphalt shingles last an estimated 15 to 20 years.)
And if you’re wondering if you should top up your shingles with another layer of shingles — dubbed reroofing— or rip off the shingles and install a new layer, consider this: If there are two layers of shingles already in place, then a full tear-down is in order.
