Probably the most vital part of your home is its roof-a protection against anything or anybody from the outdoors environment and a must so that your house would not collapse. But with time, roofs will wear out and may have to be repaired or replaced. If your roof is covered with asphalt shingles, you’ll want to be on the lookout for signs that it’s time for a new asphalt shingle roof installation. Identifying these signs early is very essential to prevent further damage and costly repairs.
1. Age of Your Roof
The first most obvious symptom that you may need a new asphalt shingle roof installation is the age of your current roof. Asphalt shingle roofs last for around 20-25 years, depending on the quality of the material and the climate where you are.
Why Age Matters
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Natural Wear and Tear: With the passing of years, shingles naturally tend to lose their effectiveness as far as keeping your home dry. After twenty years or so, even the best cared for roof will start showing signs of aging.
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Outdated Materials: If your roof is more than twenty years old, it may very well be composed of materials that no longer offer the same durability and energy efficiency as today’s shingles.
If your roof has come to or exceeded the 20-year mark, it’s time to start thinking about an inspection and possible replacement with new asphalt shingles.
2. Curling or Buckling Shingles
Curling or buckling of shingles is one of the most obvious signs your roof is past its life expectancy. Also, if you discover that the edges of your shingles are curling up or center of a shingle buckling up then it is one sign that your roof has undergone extreme wear and tear.
Why Shingles Curl
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Moisture Damage: Gradually, moisture damages the shingles and curls them up. Water damage will make the shingles warp when water gets underneath the shingles.
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Poor Ventilation: More often than not, improper attic ventilation causes shingles to overheat and deteriorate faster, thereby curling them.
If you see this on your roof, it is time to spend money on asphalt shingle roof installation.
3. Missing or Broken Shingles
Missing or broken shingles are a significant issue that exposes your home to water damage, especially during storms. This may happen due to strong winds, hail, or even the fact that the shingles become too aged and brittle to continue staying in place.
The Impact of Missing Shingles
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Water Leaks: Missing shingles provide holes through which water might leak into the house, letting go of mold growth and the worst-case scenario being water destruction within your house.
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Decreased Curb Appeal: When the shingles are missing or broken, the house looks old and unkempt, and its general aesthetic and even worth is affected.
Multiple missing or broken shingles require an asphalt shingle roof installation to prevent further damage.
4. Granules in the Gutter
Asphalt shingles have a granule top layer that is meant to shield your roofing from UV rays and the elements. It is perfectly normal for granules to begin to flake off with the progression of years, especially for older roofs. One of the most noticeable signs would be by checking in the gutters for an accumulation of granules.
Why Granules Matter
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Loss of Protection: The granules safeguard the shingles from rain and sunshine. And when granules begin to fall off, the shingles face the outside elements more, causing them to deteriorate faster.
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Sign of Aging: If you see a lot of granules in your gutters during a storm or cleanup, it may be a sign that your shingles are nearing the end of their life.
Loss of granules is a sign that you will soon require the installation of a shingle roof.
5. Visible Cracks
Asphalt shingles sometimes crack due to extreme weather or just normal wear and tear. Minor cracks may not be unappealing initially but, if left unattended, they become pretty big problems very quickly.
How Cracks Form
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Weather Conditions: Extreme freezing and thawing can crack shingles. Due to its constant exposure to extreme weather conditions, the overall structure of the roof will weaken.
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Aging: With time, older shingles lose flexibility and crack because they have become brittle.
Cracked Shingles along all parts of your roof indicates a repair with an asphalt shingle roof installation.
6. Sagging Roof
It is droopy, but this time, it may not seem like a big deal, but the roof has been compromised either in its support beams or areas. In this condition, you will need to have an asphalt shingle roof installation from a reliable roofing company as soon as possible.
Why a Sagging Roof is Dangerous
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Compromised Structure: A sagging roof may indicate that a part of the underlying structure, like roof decking, has been compromised by water or other damages.
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Risk of Collapse: Left unchecked, a hanging roof can trigger serious structural issues and even collapse if things take a bad turn.
Should your roof become sagging, you should treat this as a serious issue and replace the entire shingles to restore safety and stability to your house.
7. Rising Energy Bills
Your roof is one area that makes huge contributions to keeping your house insulated. When the shingles start malfunctioning, they lose their capacity for temperature regulation within your house. This leads to increased work for your HVAC system, thereby increasing your energy bills.
How Roofs Affect Energy Efficiency
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Poor Insulation: Worn-out shingles let heat outside during winters and trap warmth inside your house during summer seasons. This keeps temperatures unbalanced.
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Energy Costs: If your energy bills suddenly jump significantly without other explanations, your roof is probably not insulating your home right.
The installation of new asphalt shingles will make your home more energy-efficient and reduce utility bills.
Conclusion
Knowing when it is time for an asphalt shingle roof installation can help prevent bigger, more costly problems later on. Among the telltale signs to know are the aging shingles, visible cracks, and a sagging roof; with these in mind, your home remains safe and sound.
Regular roof checkups and maintenance will extend its lifespan, but at some point, every roof will have had its life. If you are experiencing any of these signs, it is now a good time to call a professional roofer for an inspection of your roof and the scheduling of an asphalt shingle roof installation before small problems become major issues requiring expensive fixes.
