8 Extreme Signs You May Need A New Roof

Here’s a list of warning signs to look for that may indicate you need a new roof.

Water Leaks In Your Home

This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many homeowners overlook this sign. If there is water leaking into your home, call us immediately! The longer you delay, the more damage is potentially being done to your home. It could end up being a minor repair, or it could involve a re-roof or a full roof replacement; but, you won’t know until you have a roofing contractor inspect the leak.

Roof Age

If your roof is over 30 years old, you need a new roof. If it’s over 25 years old, you most likely need a new roof. If it’s 20-25 years old, you probably need a new roof. Of course, these age guidelines are broad generalizations, but unless your roof was maintained extremely well, and there’s been no unanticipated damage, and you luck out in several other variables, then these generalities are usually true. There are always exceptions to these rules, so call us for an inspection before you make any decisions about replacement.

Roof Granulation In Your Gutters

Mileage may vary on this sign, because some roofs don’t use granular mineral surfaces, but the majority do. If you notice a build up of granulation in your gutters, or by your downspout outlets then you are experiencing mineral loss on your roof (looks kind of like pretzel salt and will be the same color as your roof). This leads to problems, not only the immediate issue of clogging gutters, but also allows more UV rays to damage the shingles. This sign indicates that the adhesive that holds the granules to the roof membrane has begun to fail and the roof has reached or is nearing the end of its lifespan.

Sagging Ceiling

If your ceiling is sagging it could be caused by moisture from a roof leak. Sometimes the leak in your roof is small and slow, causing damage over time and in less obvious ways, and one of these common issues is sagging ceilings. Touch the ceiling with your hand or a broomstick to see if it has any give. If it has the consistency of a wet cardboard box you almost certainly have an unidentified leak.

Stains On Your Ceiling

Dark stains (often called coffee stains) on the ceiling are another tell tale sign of leaking roofs. These stains are usually caused by the slow accumulation of water in the roof decking that gathers tannins from the wood and carries them to the plaster or drywall ceilings. If you see any coffee staining in your ceiling, it’s a safe bet to say you have a leak. Your roof needs to be repaired at the least, and possibly replaced.

Daylight In Your Attic

It probably goes without saying, but you shouldn’t be able to see daylight coming through the roof. This is a pretty sure sign that the membrane on your roof is damaged. The kind of damage that allows daylight is usually not ordinary aging but is usually brought on by storm or animal damage to the roof.

Roof Materials Coming Off Your Roof

If you see shingles, slates, metal flashing, rolled roofing, or whatever kind of materials your roof is made of blowing down the street or hanging off your gutter after a storm, then you’ve got a problem. Contact us to assess the damage for you and give you recommendations on how to address the issue.

Sagging Roof Deck

If you can see a whale-bone effect on your shingle roof, or low spongy spots on your flat roof, this is a sign that the decking needs replacement. There are lots of quick fixes for sagging decking (some better than others) but nothing actually fixes the underlying problems. It's not a permanent fix unless you replace the decking in the problem areas.

In Conclusion

This is not an exhaustive list. And, you don't have to wait to see these extreme signs to maintain or even replace your roof.

Of course there are other warning signs, and the presence of one or more items on this list doesn’t mean you absolutely need replacement, but you should contact us to find out. Even better, don't wait! Call us to schedule your inspection and routine maintenance so you can extend the life of your roof.