Roofs: they keep the rain out in the summer, the snow off in the winter, and are an essential component in maintaining the comfort of your living space. Unfortunately, too many homeowners ignore this essential component of their home until problems are well advanced.
If you want to avoid leaks this spring, here are the four key signs that let you know it is time to replace your roof.
1. Your Ceiling is Leaking
If you are noticing water damage in your house, either in the form of a leaking ceiling, sweating walls, or patches of mould spreading outside the bathroom, it is almost certainly because your roof is no longer keeping the rain out. And if there is water damage in the actual living space of the home, then the problem is likely quite advanced already.
Hiring a roofing company like Team Roofing to re-shingle the roof and replace any rotted sections of the roof deck is a great place to start, but depending on the age and design of your home, further measures like installing better ventilation may also be necessary.
2. Hail Damage
In large parts of Canada and the United States, hail poses a significant threat to asphalt shingle roofs, and a single hailstorm of sufficient violence can seriously compromise the effectiveness of your roof system. If there has been a hailstorm in your area recently, be sure to call your insurance company to get an estimate on the necessary repairs, and then get in touch with a local roofing company to take care of a new installation.
3. Roof Shingles are Curling Up
You’ve probably seen this at some point in your life on older or neglected houses: asphalt shingles that have had much of their protective grit washed away and which are starting to curl up at the edges. Not only does this look ugly, it is also a key indicator that your roof is in serious trouble.
If your shingles are starting to curl up, it is vitally important that you don’t let your roof get worse — if you live in the Greater Toronto Area, call a Toronto roofing company to have the roof replaced as soon as possible. If shingles are already curling, there is a good chance the roof deck itself is sustaining damage, and this can drive up costs significantly.
4. It’s Old
Finally, even if you aren’t having any particular problems with your roof, if it is more than fifteen years old, you should think about getting a new one. Most single tab asphalt shingles are good for between fifteen and twenty years, so as soon as you hit the fifteen-year mark, you should have it inspected by roofing experts to see what shape it is in.
It may seem counterintuitive to replace a roof that isn’t causing trouble yet, but a roof that is starting to leak can quickly lead to a large number of other problems, from rotting out the roof deck to spreading mould in your house. For this reason, it’s a good idea to replace your roof before it these things become an issue.
Keeping your house in good order starts with keeping a good roof over your head, and it’s a good idea to start every spring off with an inspection to see what state your roof is in. Being able to catch problems before they occur not only helps keep your house warm and dry, it will significantly reduce the overall cost of having your roof replaced.
