How do I know if I need a new roof?
5 warning signs to look for before you purchase a new roof
Purchasing a new roof for your home can be a stressful task. Before you begin the process of buying a new roof, you should consider these 5 warning signs which indicate you may need to purchase a new roof.
1. Leaking Roof - look for water leaks
The most obvious sign that you need to purchase a new roof is water leaks. Depending on your home, you may need to go into the attic yourself or hire someone to inspect your home for a leaking roof.
If you are doing this step yourself you will want to look for water stains or water spots on ceilings or walls. A water stain inside your home is noticeable because it will swell up like a bubble and cause discoloration on your walls or ceiling. Depending on the severity of your leaking roof, this may require an immediate repair to prevent further damage. If you do have a leaking roof it is wise to get it resolved as soon as possible because water damage can cause long term issues to your home.
Tip: If you have a leaking roof get it repaired/replaced immediately.
2. Broken Roof Shingles or Tiles
For this step we recommend hiring a professional contractor that has experience examining roofs and can provide you with a roof inspection report. If you have an asphalt shingle roof a contractor will inspect your roof and look for missing granules caused by impact damage or natural degradation. If you have a concrete roof or clay tile roof they will look for cracking or broken roof tiles.
After a severe weather related event like a hail storm it is possible that you may find pieces of your roof in your yard or laying on your roof. This can be caused by intense hail, strong winds, ice and snow, or deterioration and breakdown of your roof material. It is best practice to replace broken roof shingles immediately so you do not leave your roof deck exposed to natural elements which may lead to long term issues.
Tip: If you have broken roof shingles get your roof repaired immediately.
3. Old Roof - determine age of roof
Roofs have an expected life span and if possible you should determine the age of your roof. To give you a rough idea about how long your roof should last you should reference the roof material manufacturers warranty. Most manufacturer warranties last for 10 years, 25 years or 50 years.
You should know the age of your roof since the risk of problems will increase as the roof gets older. The impact of weathering caused by UV light, ice and snow, wind, and natural degradation will eventually wear out any roofing product.
4. Split, Cracked, or Color Fading Roof Shingles
Depending on your roof, you may see split, cracked or shingles that are color fading. If you have a wood shake shingle roof you may be able to notice roof splitting and cracking by looking at your roof from the ground level. Based on the age and condition of your roof, older roof shingles will tend to lift up and crack or split over time.
The suns UV light causes many roofing materials to change colors or fade over time. This is especially noticeable on wood shake shingle roofs. Depending on the type of wood, a wood shake shingle roof will color fade after just 5-7 years in the sun. Color fading is a potential indication that the roof materials are starting to break down or deteriorate and are in need of replacing. Keep in mind that it is best practice to hire a professional contractor to inspect your roof before jumping to any conclusions yourself.
5. Hail Storm Damage
Hail storms can cause significant damage to your property and your roof. If you believe your roof was damaged by a hail storm, you should remember the date of the storm since insurance companies will ask you about this. You will also want to have a roof inspection to determine the damage. The inspector will count the number of hail hits in an area of your roof to determine the impact the storm had on the roof.
Warning signs to look for to determine the damage a hail storm may have caused to your roof include ”pebbles” or “granules” from asphalt shingles washing off the roof and into the gutters. You will also want to look for broken or split roofing tiles. Damage to home exteriors such as windows, doors, garage doors, etc. may indicate potential roof damage as well.
Tip: If you think your roof has hail storm damage get your roof inspected. If there is significant hail storm damage get your roof repaired/replaced. Make sure that your insurance provider is aware of the hail storm and the damage it caused to your roof.
In the market for a new roof? Choose the Best Roofing Products
For years the roofing industry has been trying to create composite roofing materials that have the authentic appearance of natural wood and are low maintenance, fire rated, impact resistant, and long lasting. Composite shakes have been made of asphalt, metal, cement, rubber, and plastic that are marketed as maintenance free, fire rated, and impact resistant.
Until now, none of these products have been able to match the appearance of natural cedar wood shakes. They simply do not have the depth, texture, dimension, and variations of a natural product, and they can have an unnatural shiny appearance.
The polyurethane technology that CeDUR developed provides homeowners with the most natural wood looking roofing product available. Our state of the art manufacturing process allows us to mold each CeDUR shake from real wood, giving CeDUR unquestionable wood beauty while enhancing your home’s curb appeal and property value. CeDUR shakes are molded from natural cedar shakes and are designed and engineered to look just like hand split heavy cedar shakes. A CeDUR synthetic roof gives your home classic wood beauty without the constant maintenance and headaches inherent in real wood or alternative roofing materials.
