You don't often think about it, but your roof is one of the most important parts of your home.
The roof is your first line of defense against everything from poor weather to falling tree branches. As it fills this role, however, it's exposed to a great number of dangers that can take a major toll on it. Regular roof maintenance is crucial for prolonging your roof's lifespan, which should be around 25 years.
At a certain point, your roof will tell you when it's time to replace it. In today's post, we'll tell you 5 of the most common roof replacement warning signs. Along the way, we'll also give you some Tuscon roof maintenance tips to keep it in great shape for longer.
With the help of Tuscon roofing services, roof replacement can be more quick and easy than you may realize. Keep reading and be proactive about your roof.
A healthy roof will look the part with pristine shingles that have all of their granules. It's when you start to see curled, cracked, or missing shingles that you know the time for roof replacement is near.
Curling shingles are an indication that they're drying out, which will cause them to shrink and become brittle. Eventually, they'll curl up and blow off the roof completely.
Broken shingles don't necessarily mean that your entire roof needs replacing. It can happen during heavy hail and wind and you may only have to replace the damaged ones. If this is happening frequently, however, you'll need a professional roof inspection to determine the source of the problem.
One of the clearest roof damage signs is sagging. A sagging roof usually means that the internal structure of your roof is significantly compromised. The other potential issue is that there's too an excessive amount of weight on it, usually due to moss and moisture.
One thing that most sagging roofs have in common is advanced age. Over time, the wooden materials that make up your roof will start to degrade. This is always accelerated if you fail to inspect your roof to catch missing shingles, which lead to leaks and the water damage that causes the degradation.
Sagging isn't always obvious at first, but when it becomes noticeable, there's nothing else to do other than replace the roof. You may even have to rebuild some of the framework to put the new roofing on.
We just mentioned how an excess of vegetation can weigh on your roof and cause it to sag. Moss and other growth isn't often a concern for Tuscon residents, as the climate is usually hot and dry. That said, large rainfall does occur from time to time and it can give way to the green stuff growing on your roof.
A little bit of moss here and there isn't going to do much damage. It's when the moss spreads and begins to harbor moisture, as well as other critters, that you've got cause for concern.
One of the best Tuscon roof maintenance tips we'll give you is to have your roof professionally cleaned from time to time. A roof maintenance team can scrape the vegetation off without doing any damage to your roof.
What's more likely for Tuscon homeowners is sun damage. The heat from the sun, especially during the arid summer months, is what leads to granule loss and curling shingles that we described above. When you do install new roofing, make sure to get a durable material that can handle Tuscon's heat.
Yes, it's very important to regularly inspect the outside of your home for roof damage. This is how you'll detect everything we've discussed so far. That said, you can't always see small breaches in your roof from the ground level.
For that, you'll need to inspect your attic from time to time. If you've got cracks in the seams of your roof, water will easily enter your home and you'll have leaking. Roof leaks lead to water damage, which can both compromise your roofing materials and facilitate conditions for mold growth.
Once you've got mold in the home, it can be difficult to get rid of. It lowers your indoor air quality and can cause numerous health issues, from respiratory problems to allergies.
You can save yourself a lot of trouble by finding holes in your roof early on and patching them up. Once you've got major leaking in your attic, there's nothing to do other than replace the roof entirely.
No matter what materials were used in its construction, every roof has a lifespan. For asphalt shingles - the most popular type of roof - that lifespan is between 20-25 years with regular maintenance. Other materials, like slate or concrete, can last up to 100 years.
If your roof is over 25 years old, that's when to replace a roof in Tuscon. We understand that replacing a roof is a big expense, but it's something you have to budget for sooner or later.
One way to think about it is that an old roof with degrading materials is lowering your home's efficiency. Air leaks out of the cracks, which causes your HVAC system to work harder, which makes your bills go up and puts wear and tear on your AC.
Replacing your roof will help you save money in the long run. Find quality Tuscon roofing services and you'll be able to do it affordably and quickly.
Any of these signs should tell you that roof replacement is something to think about. If any of them are severe or you notice multiple signs at once, you may need to do it soon. The key to a successful roof replacement is the roofing company you hire.
West Coast Roofing is Tuscon's premier choice for all things roofing. We've got over 15 years of experience with a variety of roofing materials and during that time, we've grown into one of the most reputable roofing services around.
Contact us today to schedule an inspection and get a free estimate.