Replacing the roof of your house is one of the biggest home investments that you have to make during your life. Not only is roof replacement costly but the build might actually force you to relocate your family to another dwelling for a couple of days, if not weeks.
This having said, it is essential to get the timing right and know in advance when the right time to replace the entire roof is. There are at least 5 signs to look for in order to call the roof repairmen at just at the right time before sections of the roof start coming down.
1. Flashing issues
The section of the roof that is likely first to give way are the flashing. They are installed around openings in the roof’s surface, such as vents, chimneys, and skylights. Because these openings, and especially the ventilation shaft, are shaped irregularly, often with sharp corners, it is tricky to install the flashing correctly. They are sealed with caulk but this deteriorates over time, letting water in and causing a leak.
In most cases, homeowners who are not afraid of heights can repair missing caulking on their own. However, if a flashing dislocate due to strong winds, for example, then call the experts in to have a look. Finally, if weather-beaten flashing get damaged due to a falling branch or in a bush-fire now raging through New South Wales, then it’s time to consider replacing the entire roof, flashing included.
2. Metal gutters
Gutters are usually places at the bottom of a slated roof, whatever the roofing material is. Ideally, they circumnavigate the house performing their main role of channeling all the water down from the roof into the vertical gutters and into the drain. However, this process doesn’t always go smoothly, especially if the structure is old.
Homeowners can solve issues like clogged gutters by simply removing the debris, most often in the form of fallen leaves, on their own. However, when individual parts on the gutters fail, then perhaps it is wiser to call repairmen to fix it. Ultimately, if you see damage to metal gutters caused by corrosion, you know it’s time to replace them altogether.
3. Shingles that no longer serve their purpose
Perhaps one of the most sinister kinds of damage to the roof are shingles that are damaging. Now, we are not referring to shingles or roof tiles that blown off during one of the rainstorms that are common in New South Wales but to gradual deterioration of shingles.
Namely, they get washed away with the passing of time as hail, rainwater, and snow slowly grind them away. One of the surest signs that the tiles on your roof are reaching a critical point is finding black, granulate residue in the gutters. In fact, most specialist roof repairs include inspecting the state the shingles are in. Once a section of the roof gets worn out to the extent that all the caulking in the world cannot help, it is time to replace all of the shingles and tiles.
4. More than just a leak
So far, we have presumed that you’re a physically able homeowner who takes an active interest in the state his or her roof is in. However, elderly people cannot afford to climb up a ladder after every time a hailstorm hits their house.
For them, the only way to evaluate the state their roof is in involves looking for leaks or ideally climbing up the attic. Water damage can often cause more damage than a house fire, as it is often impossible to completely air-dry the affected area.
The roof is no exception, as its under-structure is mostly of timber. Once the first flashing above gives way and water penetrates inside the house, wood will start to rot as most attics have poor ventilation.
As the decades pass, support beams can easily reach their breaking point if they are further weakened by termites of which there are 360 species in Australia alone. All in all, don’t ignore the first sign of a leak as unimportant as it can indicate that there is a major issue with the roof.
5. Biding your time
Once it becomes clear that the roof needs replacement but that it’s not urgent, you could try and get a better deal. The thing is,roofers’ phone lines are hot when the weather is fair in spring and in summer but during the winter months, they don’t get much work.
That’s why they tend to lower their prices up to a quarter in comparison to the original price. By contacting them about your roof during those couple of days or possibly weeks of winter sunny weather, you can make a huge save in the home investment budget.
Apart from these 5, there are several other signs that the roof on your house should replace but they rarely occur. Equip yourself with knowledge about how to tackle faulty flashing, worn-out shingles, and leaks in order to prolong the lifespan of your roof.