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Most homeowners pay a lot of attention to reviving their lawns but they do not think about the roof over their heads until it is too late. Roofs can reach the end of their lives without any indication that they need replacement. This is especially true in cases where the homeowner has carried out regular cleaning and maintenance over the years. In other cases, the roof breaks down due to its age or from natural elements and needs to be replaced. Regular checks can help homeowners find out whether their roof needs to be replaced. Here are some of the signs to look for when doing regular checks.
Damaged Shingles
Shingles can get damaged in various ways, with one of the most common causes of damage being rain, hail, or snow. Cracked, buckling, or damaged shingles are quite common in older roofs and after heavy storms. Missing or damaged shingles are one of the signs to look out for that indicate a damaged roof and a huge indication that your roof needs to be replaced.
Damaged Flashing
The flashing around skylights, vents, and chimney seals is very important in protecting your home, especially the attic, from water damage. While flashing can be replaced if it is damaged, a homeowner can only do these repairs so many times before the area around the flashing becomes a point of concern. If the flashing and the repair to it done over the years starts affecting the area around the vent, chimney, or skylight the flashing is supposed to seal, it is time to replace the roof.
Age
Most roofs are built to last about 20 years. This is true for shingle roofs, with metal roofs meant to last a little longer than that. Once a roof reaches this age, it starts to degrade and needs to be replaced. At this point, doing repairs puts your home at risk of water damage when the next storm hits.
Neighbors Have Started Replacing Their Roofs
Most houses in a neighborhood are built around the same time. This means that the roofs in most of these houses are usually of the same age. These roofs can start experiencing the same issues and if your neighbors have started replacing their roofs, it means they have started experiencing issues that necessitate the roof replacement.
Sagging
A sagging roof is a disaster waiting to happen. It can be an indication that the roof itself or the underlying supporting structure has started to fail and it is only a matter of time until you have total collapse. The cause of this sagging can also be due to moisture, rotting boards, or poor ventilation in the attic leading to the moisture.
Conclusion
If you see any of these signs, it is time to replace your roof unless you are thinking of building an underground room. The good news is that we have come so far that roof replacements can be done in a few days to a few weeks depending on the size of your home. You only need to get in touch with a reputable contractor so they can assess the damage and help you put a plan in place for the replacement.
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