It’s natural to encounter problems with your roof sometimes, such as a leak, or broken slats. However, bigger problems can arise too. Sometimes it’s simply from age and wear, or on the other hand damage can be caused through bad weather. Whatever the cause, the outcome stays the same; your roof can end up in a pretty poor state and no longer be fit to act as the first line of defence for your house.
It’s always important that when you notice any problems with your roof, you get them seen to and sorted out straight away, and this still applies to when it’s time to replace your roof. The longer you leave it, the more danger you put your home in and the more risks you encounter and prone to damage it becomes. Of course, getting a new roof is quite a costly process, but it’s certainly worth the investment in the long run.
How long does a roof last?
This all depends on the type of roof you have. We’ve listed some examples of average lifespans below:
- Asphalt shingle roof: 20-25 years
- Slate: 100+ years
- Tile roofing: 50 years
- Clay roofing: 60 years
- Concrete roofing: 60 years
Of course, certain types of roofing are cheaper than others, and this often correlates with their lifespan and quality. For example, shingles tend to be the cheapest and one of the most popular, as they cost far less than than most kinds and still serve your home well for a pretty decent amount of time. Furthermore, due to their low cost, it’s not as much of a big issue if you need to replace them or have them fixed.
Perhaps you’ve moved into a home that hasn’t had the roof replaced in many years – this could be the perfect chance to make a change and choose a material more well suited to your home!
Signs that it’s time to replace your roof
Firstly, knowing when your roof was installed and what the average lifespan of the material is quite a good indication to go off. Also, don’t think replacing your roof is only limited to when it’s getting a bit old. If your roof suffers from any kind of severe damage before this time, you should seek professional advice to assess whether you need to replace your roof early.
Problems tend to be easier to spot in shingle roofs. For example, are there lots of missing or cracked shingles that have suffered damage during bad weather? Are they starting to curl in the corners? Any of these visual signs are a good way to notice if it’s time to get a new roof.
Moss and algae is another visual indication that you may want to consider replacing your roof. This often comes from age or poor conditioning. It’s not necessarily a threat or anything to worry about too much, but to put it plainly, it just doesn’t look very nice! However, it doesn’t tend to appear unless the roof is getting a little old, so you can decide for yourself whether you think it’s time for an update.
Something that can be a little more serious is if you notice sunlight seeping through your roof. This is a key sign that there is a weakening in your roof, which actually has the potential to be pretty serious. For your roof to allow sunlight through, what’s to say that rain won’t come through as well? Sometimes this can just be fixed up by a professional roofer, however you need to call someone out for help immediately to ensure that it is safe and find out whether or not you need to replace it.
Another problem that can be quite serious, is if you notice the roof sagging in a particular area. This is a huge sign of weakness and can be very dangerous if you don’t seek help from a professional roofer quickly. Your roof is like a support system for your house, so it’s vitally important that the structure is safe and strong. Even if the problem isn’t as bad as it seems, it’s important to have it looked at as soon as possible to prevent further problems from occurring.
If you’d like to know a little more or think it’s time to replace your roof, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our contact page and a member of our team will be more than happy to help you.
