The roof is one of the most important areas in your home. However, most people tend to ignore it, but that’s mainly because it’s one of the least visible parts of their property. Every roof has a lifespan; when yours reaches the maximum limit, you need to consider a roof replacement Hanover MA.
However, roofs can get replaced because of other factors, including getting damaged by weather elements. As a result, you might wonder how often you should replace your roof. Technically, this depends on various factors, such as the type of roof, maintenance practices, the kind of weather it’s exposed to, and the extent of the damage.
That said, how often should you replace your roof? Read on to find out.
How Long Should Your Roof Last?
Like most materials, roofing materials weren’t designed to last forever. However, some materials have a longer lifespan compared to others. Roof materials designed to last longer require you to dig deeper into your pockets, but roofing company in Danbury consider them a worthwhile investment. That’s because they give you long service and hardly require replacement.
Roofing materials tend to last between 15 and 100 years, but it depends on the type and how well you maintain yours. Overall, here are the known lifespans of common roofing materials.
- Cedar shakes – 20 to 30 years
- Asphalt shingles – 15 to 30 years
- Green roofs – 20 to 40 years
- Solar shingles – 20 to 30 years
- Synthetic slate 40 to 50 years
- Concrete tiles – over 50 years
- Stone-coated steel – 40 to 70 years
- Clay tiles – 50 to 100 years
- Metal roofing – 50 to 70 years
- Slate tiles – over 100 years
Reasons You Need to Replace Your Roof
Your roof helps keep your family and belongings safe and free from harsh weather conditions. Unfortunately, most people hardly think about their roofs until something happens. But even if your roof has the longest lifespan, ignoring it doesn’t guarantee its longevity.
If you wait for your roof to leak or crack, it might result in detrimental effects. It might force you to make replacements sooner than anticipated. Roofing experts advise homeowners to carry out regular maintenance practices, or better yet, call a professional company for the same.
Common maintenance practices include regular inspections, minor repairs, cleaning and clearing out the gutters and cleaning debris from the roof. These activities will let you know your roof’s condition, enabling you to determine whether it needs repairs or replacement. Overall, here are common signs that indicate your roof needs replacement.
1. It has reached its lifespan
One of the common reasons to replace your roof is when it meets its expected lifespan. Therefore, you need to know the type of material your roof has, as well as its expected lifespan. However, you need to factor in that some aspects may reduce its lifespan.
Consequently, you need to call professionals to carry out the inspection to determine your roof’s condition. The inspectors will identify the wear and tear, as well as how long your roof has left before requiring replacement. It’s always advisable to call these experts when your roof has reached midway in its lifespan.
2. When the roof has cracks, bending, curling, or missing shingles
When your roof has experienced extensive damage, you need to upgrade or replace it. The damage could include cracks, curling, bending, or missing shingles. However, you don’t necessarily have to replace the roof when you notice such damage.
Sometimes, these kinds of damages only require minor repair services. You only need to consider replacement when the damage is too extensive. Failing to do so could be detrimental to your home.
3. When you identify water stains on your ceiling or in the attic
You may hardly go to your attic, but you need to check it out when conducting roof inspections. The attic floor and ceiling will easily tell you if your roof has an issue or not. Therefore, if you find water stains on your ceilings or in the attic, there’s a high likelihood that your roof is damaged.
However, the water stains may not necessarily indicate roof damage. The stains may result from excess humidity in the attic or house. But to be sure, you need to call roofing experts to determine whether the water stains have been caused by roof damage. If the damage is significant, then you need to replace your roof.
4. When there’s damage on the flashing around your chimney, valleys, or windows
Flashing is perhaps one of the first objects installed on a roof, which is important because it prevents water from leaking into all areas of your roof where it meets a ridge, wall, pipe, including other roofing elements. If your flashing is cracked or damaged, your home is more vulnerable to leaks. If the experts cannot do repairs, you must replace the roof.
5. Sagging on the roof
Another common reason homeowners replace their roofs is because of sagging. When a roof sags, it usually means that there has been stagnant water in that part over an extended period. The sagging can damage the roof significantly, and in the worst-case scenario, it could cause your roof to collapse.
Therefore, whenever you notice signs of a sagging roof, you need to call professionals immediately. That way, they’ll determine the best course of action. Needless to say, extreme sagging, especially that which might cause your roof to collapse, results in roof replacement.
Conclusion
A roof helps protect your and your family members. Therefore, you must always ensure that it’s in tip-top condition. However, every roofing material has a lifespan. So, you’ll at one point be required to replace your roof.
But the lifespan for different roofs varies, meaning you’ll only need replacement services when your roof has exhausted its lifetime. However, reaching its lifespan isn’t the only reason people replace roofs. You may need to replace yours due to extensive damage caused by harsh weather elements, among other aspects. Always ensure qualified experts handle the tasks when it comes to replacing your roof.