How often do you replace a roof on a house
in Raleigh, NC?
Have you been considering getting a new roof on your home but are unsure about how often you should replace a roof? The quickest and easiest way to answer this question is simple, you should replace a roof on your house when it no longer serves its purpose. We understand that this answer may not appear straight forward, this is due to the fact that there are a number of factors that determine if a roof is “working”.
Since the majority of shingles found on homes in North Carolina are asphalt shingles, thus we will be talking about them the most during this article. Asphalt shingles have a number of common signs that will tell you if they need to be repaired or replaced. One of the most obvious signs that your shingles need to be replaced is when they look visually worn, damaged, broken or are missing sections. If you were to drive around your neighborhood you could easily tell which homes had a new roof on them compared to which roofs were old and worn out. One of the most obvious signs that your roof needs to be repaired or replaced is if it is missing sections of shingles or has bald spots across the roof. To have a better understanding regarding the health of your roof be sure to call our roofing contractors in Raleigh for all of your questions and concerns. We provide Raleigh roof inspections for many people in the city and will be able to help you as well.
If you decide to do the roof inspection on your own accord then you need to get on the roof, once you are on the roof begin to look for signs of wear and damage. A typical sign you may see when a roof is aging is nails popping up, bald shingles, noticeable dips in the valleys and mildew growing on the corners of the roof. One potential reason you may be seeing nails popping up is because the plywood boards under the shingles have become moist overtime and have become susceptible to water damage. When these OSB boards get wet over time the nails become looser and will easily pop out when wind gusts push and lift the shingles. The best way to fix popping up nails is to reset them and apply new sealant.
Seeing cracked or broken shingles can be pretty obvious when you are up on the roof doing your own inspection. If there are only a few shingles which have been broken (possibly due to a recent storm) then there isn't usually a need to replace the entire roof, simple repairs can be made to replace that section of shingles. However when you have more than 20 shingles which look broken or have begun to crack then it may be time to replace the roof and tear off the old one. If you also notice that the shingles have begun to curl this means the roof is getting to the end of its lifespan.
A common way you can tell a roof needs to be replaced is when there are large stains on the shingles, this could be caused by a swamp cooler or the breakdown of roofing materials over time. Fading of asphalt shingles is pretty common since they are in the sun and rain for 20 years but severe discoloration should not occur unless the roof is old. When severe discoloration begins to become prevalent then you should look into replacing your roof. Lighter roofs usually show discoloration easier than darker roofs.
The final sign your roof needs to be replaced that we will discuss in this article is when the asphalt shingles begin to break apart. Shingles are made of aggregate (tiny rocks that are attached to the asphalt section of the shingle). When the roof needs to be replaced you may notice that certain shingles look shiny and very smooth. This signifies that the aggregate has begun to fall off and the roof should potentially be replaced within the next several months. If any of the above signs occur at your home it may be a good time to give us a call and talk about roof replacement near Raleigh, NC. Contact us today to get a free estimate.
Since the majority of shingles found on homes in North Carolina are asphalt shingles, thus we will be talking about them the most during this article. Asphalt shingles have a number of common signs that will tell you if they need to be repaired or replaced. One of the most obvious signs that your shingles need to be replaced is when they look visually worn, damaged, broken or are missing sections. If you were to drive around your neighborhood you could easily tell which homes had a new roof on them compared to which roofs were old and worn out. One of the most obvious signs that your roof needs to be repaired or replaced is if it is missing sections of shingles or has bald spots across the roof. To have a better understanding regarding the health of your roof be sure to call our roofing contractors in Raleigh for all of your questions and concerns. We provide Raleigh roof inspections for many people in the city and will be able to help you as well.
If you decide to do the roof inspection on your own accord then you need to get on the roof, once you are on the roof begin to look for signs of wear and damage. A typical sign you may see when a roof is aging is nails popping up, bald shingles, noticeable dips in the valleys and mildew growing on the corners of the roof. One potential reason you may be seeing nails popping up is because the plywood boards under the shingles have become moist overtime and have become susceptible to water damage. When these OSB boards get wet over time the nails become looser and will easily pop out when wind gusts push and lift the shingles. The best way to fix popping up nails is to reset them and apply new sealant.
Seeing cracked or broken shingles can be pretty obvious when you are up on the roof doing your own inspection. If there are only a few shingles which have been broken (possibly due to a recent storm) then there isn't usually a need to replace the entire roof, simple repairs can be made to replace that section of shingles. However when you have more than 20 shingles which look broken or have begun to crack then it may be time to replace the roof and tear off the old one. If you also notice that the shingles have begun to curl this means the roof is getting to the end of its lifespan.
A common way you can tell a roof needs to be replaced is when there are large stains on the shingles, this could be caused by a swamp cooler or the breakdown of roofing materials over time. Fading of asphalt shingles is pretty common since they are in the sun and rain for 20 years but severe discoloration should not occur unless the roof is old. When severe discoloration begins to become prevalent then you should look into replacing your roof. Lighter roofs usually show discoloration easier than darker roofs.
The final sign your roof needs to be replaced that we will discuss in this article is when the asphalt shingles begin to break apart. Shingles are made of aggregate (tiny rocks that are attached to the asphalt section of the shingle). When the roof needs to be replaced you may notice that certain shingles look shiny and very smooth. This signifies that the aggregate has begun to fall off and the roof should potentially be replaced within the next several months. If any of the above signs occur at your home it may be a good time to give us a call and talk about roof replacement near Raleigh, NC. Contact us today to get a free estimate.