Sagging, And Leaking, And Aging, Oh My! 8 Signs You Need A New Roof

Depending on the age and wear and tear of your roof, you may need a new one. These 8 visible signs you need a new roof can help you make the right decision.

If you own a home and want to replace the roof on it, you’ll pay about $7,500 on average to have roof replacement done. If, on the other hand, you own a business and want to replace the roof on it, it’ll cost even more than that depending on how large your roof is.

This doesn’t mean you should put off replacing a roof if it needs to be done. But it does mean you should keep an eye out for signs you need a new roof so that you can plan to take on the expense that comes along with doing it ahead of time.

By inspecting your residential or commercial roofing every now and then, you can give yourself a good idea as far as what kind of condition your roof is in. Here are 8 surefire signs you need a new roof.

1. Your Roof Is on the Older Side

If you have a metal roof on your residential or commercial property, you aren’t going to need to worry too much about its age. Metal roofs can last for upwards of 60 years in some cases.

But if you have a roof with asphalt shingles, there’s a good chance that it’s not going to last more than 20 years. If you push it any further than that, it could very well give out on you at any time.

Once your roof reaches the 20-year mark, it’ll be time to, at the very least, consider doing roof replacement. It’s better to err on the side of caution than to keep your roof around for too long and suffer the consequences.

2. It Has a Hole (or Many Holes!) in It

Has the roof on your home or business sprung a sudden leak? You should obviously spring into action as quickly as you can to stop it from wreaking havoc on your residential or commercial property.

Even just one tiny hole in your roof can present water damage problems for you. That tiny hole can also grow to be larger and larger over time, which will allow more and more water to enter.

If you have one small hole in your roof, patching it up might be the best way to go. But if you have a bigger hole in your roof or, worse, multiple holes in your roof, roof replacement might be your only viable option.

3. It’s Missing Shingles

The shingles that are placed on a roof are designed to protect the lower levels of it over the years. So if those shingles go missing, you can imagine the toll it can take on everything that sits just underneath of them.

While your roof can withstand being without one or two shingles for a few weeks, you shouldn’t ever ignore missing shingles and wait a long time to replace them. You should have missing shingles replaced with new ones sooner than later.

Additionally, you should think about replacing your entire roof if you have shingles falling off of it left and right. You should also think about doing it if you find granules from your shingles in your gutter since it could mean your shingles are getting weak and not doing their job anymore.

4. It’s Starting to Sag in Certain Areas

If your roof is starting to sag in different areas, it’s one of the clear-cut signs you need a new roof. Reason being, it shows that your roof has likely sustained water damage to it.

If you fail to fix a sagging roof, it could collapse on you as it continues to get weaker. It could also lead to holes forming in your roof and giving moisture an open invitation into your home or business.

It can be difficult to spot a sagging roof without climbing up on it. Rather than inspecting your roof yourself, you should hire roofing contractors to go up and take a closer look at it.

5. It’s Affecting Your Energy Bills

Did you know that the roof on your home or business might be having a huge impact on how much you pay for energy every month?

If your roof is old and made out of a material that fails to trap air inside your residential or commercial property, it could lead to your energy bills spiking. You can bring them back down to earth by installing a more energy-efficient roof.

6. It Has Moss Growing on It

It’s not all that uncommon for homes and businesses located in shady areas to have moss growing on their roofs. Moss will make itself right at home on a roof when the roof is located underneath something like a tall tree.

You might be able to blast away the moss by having your roof cleaned. But the moss could return if your roof has been plagued by it for years now. Your best bet will often be to replace the roof completely and take better care of your new roof as far as moss is concerned.

7. It’s Ugly

As a roof gets older, it’ll often start to fade thanks to the sun. It might also develop dark streaks on it and begin to look downright ugly.

This can have an effect on your home or business’ curb appeal. The only way for you to bring your curb appeal back to life will be by replacing your roof.

8. It’s Bringing Your Property Value Down

Do you plan on selling your residential or commercial property at some point in the near future?

Don’t do it if you have an old roof on it. Your old roof will scare off many potential buyers and attract lowball offers from the ones who are still interested.

By putting a new roof on a home or business, you can bring its value way up and make it easier to sell. In many instances, you can bring the value up by as much as 75 percent of the cost of the roof.

Use These Signs You Need a New Roof to Your Benefit

There are some signs you need a new roof that you shouldn’t ever ignore for an extended period of time. For example, a leaky roof should be repaired or replaced right away.

But there are other signs that will give you time to save up the money you’ll need to replace your roof. Once you start to notice them, take it as an indication that you need to start seriously considering when you’re going to take steps to put a new roof on your home or business.