Roof Replacement: When It Becomes Time For A New Roof

That drip, drip, drip of rainwater is more than just annoying it is actually damaging your home. For that water to reach the inside of your house it has to come a long way. It's an indicator that something is not right and it is time to do something about it. The question becomes, however, is it time to do just a regular repair job or do you need to do an entire roof replacement. There are some ways to tell which the better option is.

When you have full on leak, a patch job might not be enough. Don't think that just because your contractor is trying to sell you on roof replacement that he's just trying to drum up business. In actuality he's probably telling you the truth. It will not last forever and you will eventually have to replace it. Sure this will cost more money but if you have a leak this is the best way to ensure that the leak is completely stopped. Only by removing the shingles and inspecting the wood underneath can you be certain that all the problem areas are found and repaired.

Another way to tell if it's time for a roof replacement is simply the amount of time it's been since you've had the job done. Most of these shingles and felt have a warranty of ten to twenty years and then it becomes evident that it needs new items put in place. If it has been a while since you had this job done then most likely its time for it again. You don't want to run the risk of the shingles being old and brittle and allowing moisture through to the wood below and rotting it out. By keeping up with the age you can avoid leaks all together.

A final way to tell if it's time for roof replacement versus a simple repair is if the shingles look like they are curling up. Sure they should last for about ten to twenty years but if your attic is not adequately ventilated then it can cause them to age prematurely. That means that you'll have to replace them more frequently. If they are starting to curl then you should act quickly before leaking starts to avoid having to put in new boards as well as the cost of shingles and felt. At this point you might talk to your contractor about ways to ventilate the attic so that the work will last as long as it's supposed to.

Roof replacement is bound to happen eventually. Even the shingles will get old over time. If you've had a storm that has torn off some shingles you might be able to get away with a simple repair. Otherwise you might go ahead and talk to your insurance company about putting new shingles and felt down.