If you live in the United States and your home is more than 10 years old, there’s a good chance that a new roof will be necessary at some point. After all, when was the last time you replaced your car? Or had a checkup? Your gutters might need cleaning out or repair, but they won’t be replaced unless they’re actually broken. Routine maintenance is key when it comes to keeping things working properly for as long as possible. But what about roofs? Shouldn’t they be repaired instead of replaced if possible?
What kind of roof do you have?
So you’ve decided to replace your roof. Great! But before you get too excited, let’s take a look at the different types of roofs and how they stack up against one another.
- Roofing material: Roofing materials are made from a variety of materials, including asphalt shingles or tiles (for flat roofs), concrete or clay tiles (for pitched roofs), metal panels, slate or tile (for prefabricated metal shingle roofs), cedar shakes and wood shingles (for wooden shake-style roofs).
- Cost: This is an important factor as it can vary greatly depending on the type of roof you choose. An asphalt shingle roof will be less expensive than a metal paneled one; however there are some factors that can affect the price like location and quality of materials used in construction.
How old is your roof?
The average lifespan of a roof is 20-30 years, but that can vary depending on how well it’s maintained. If you don’t know the age of your roof, look for shingles with a three-tab design and coloration that matches the rest of your home. If this isn’t possible or doesn’t yield results, there are other ways to determine if you need to replace or repair your roof:
- Check with your insurance company. Most insurance policies have an annual inspection requirement that can include checking for leaks and assessing the overall condition of the home’s exterior features (including roofs).
- Inspectors can help you determine whether repairs are necessary before replacing parts entirely.
Can you see any problems?
- Look for missing or damaged shingles. Shingles are the main component of your roof, so when they’re damaged it can be a sign of other problems within your structure. If you see that a few shingles have been blown off by high winds or are torn out at the seams, this is probably not an indication that you need to replace your entire roof right away. However, if there are large sections of bare spots or missing shingles everywhere then it could be time for repairs before more damage occurs.
- Inspect flashing around doors and windows; chimneys; skylights; etc., where moisture often accumulates on the exterior surface of your home’s walls. These areas may require replacement in order to protect against leaks caused by rotting wood underneath where there has been excess water exposure over time (e.g., from faulty guttering).
What’s the condition of the shingles?
Let’s start with the easy one—check for cracks, missing shingles and curling shingles. If you see any of these things, it’s time for a new roof. Next, check for rust spots on your metal roofs. Metal roofs are great because they’re durable and last a long time, but they also have some downsides that need to be considered when deciding whether or not to repair or replace your current roof. For example, metal roofs tend to become brittle with age (especially if left exposed) which can result in rust spots forming over the course of several years if not properly maintained.
If you’re thinking about a new roof, we hope this post has helped you make an informed decision. We know there are many options out there, and it can be overwhelming when trying to decide what’s best for your home. But if the answer to most of these questions is “yes,” then it’s time to replace your roof—and our experienced contractors have all the tools and expertise necessary to do so quickly and effectively.
If you’re looking to install a new roof on your house, then you should have a professional roofer near Lake Elmo MN, like North End Contracting, install a new roof for you.