Getting a replacement roof fitted on your home is a major undertaking and not a decision to be taken lightly. That said, it’s also not a decision that you want to leave until the last possible minute when your roof suddenly gives way and collapses. While having a replacement roof plan in place is preferable, you don’t want to waste money by scheduling an installation if your current roof still has years of life left in it.
Fortunately, there are several tell-tale signs that your roof has seen better days. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at seven of them in total. These should give you some idea of whether your roof is ready for replacement or not.
Water damage upstairs is often indicative of a leak in the roof. Always double check, even if you suspect it’s been caused by something else, such as an overflowing gutter or excessive condensation. Hopefully, it will be a minor problem that is easily repaired. However, it could be a sign of a more serious problem that can only be resolved with a replacement roof.
Every now and then, go to the cavity under your roof—be it a loft space or extra room—and turn out the lights. Can you see evidence of sunlight from outside peeking through the roof? If so, you should be worried. Roofs are meant to be watertight. If light can get into your roof cavity, so can water. A clear indication that your roof may need to be replaced
Mould, moss, and algae can cause serious damage to your roof. Once they settle in, they have a tendency to grow and can dislodge tiles in the process. Mould, mildew, and fungi are especially worrying, since they thrive in very damp places, suggesting that your roof has suffered serious water damage.
If you step out of your house and see a tile or some guttering lying on the ground, it’s time to check your roof. Tiles slip when the sealant holding them in place erodes and weakens, sometimes hitting the gutter on the way down and taking it with them. Since all your tiles will have been fitted using the same sealant, if one has fallen, the others won’t be long behind. Instead of replacing slipped tiles every couple of weeks, consider a roof replacement.
Whether you have a flat or a pitched roof, each plane should follow a straight path. If there is a noticeable sag in the roof, you should be thinking about a replacement now. Sagging roofs are a sign of structural damage, often caused by frequent exposure to moisture (perhaps due to a leak in the roof), or large amounts of water (such as a snow-covered roof suddenly melting). The water can weaken the roof’s supporting joists and timbers, causing the sag.
As part of your annual maintenance routine, you should check your gutters for blockages, nesting birds, leaves, and so on. However, while you’re there, keep an eye out for pieces of roof shingle or the sand-like substance that they are often coated with. While a few grains here and there are nothing to concern yourself about, if you spot a definite build-up, this could mean the protective coating for your roof tiles is deteriorating.
This, combined with pieces falling off of the tiles themselves, indicates that they are weakening through constant exposure to the elements. You might be lucky and only need to replace the odd tile, but the condition is likely to spread, perhaps leading to a full roof replacement later down the road.
Most roofing experts put the life expectancy of the average roof somewhere between 20 and 25 years. Of course, other factors can play into that, such as how well the roof is maintained, whether it has suffered any damage in the intervening period, and so on. However, if we take that at face value, once you start to reach that 25-year limit, it’s worth considering replacing your roof. We’re not saying it’s going to collapse the following day, but 25 is definitely the point where you’ll start encountering more regular problems with your roof.
If you’re a resident of Birmingham and your current roof is experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, contact the team at LMC Roofing & Building Ltd. We have over 40 years’ combined experience in the roofing trade, and we offer a range of roofing services in fitting new and replacement roofs. Call us on 0121 325 1306 or 07508 731661 or send an email to info@lmcroofingltd.co.uk to arrange a free consultation with one of our roofing experts.
If you’re worried about the condition of your roof and whether it needs to be repaired or replaced, you should consider having a roof survey conducted…
You can spot roof flashing on any roof that has been properly installed. Sometimes known as leadwork, flashing can be found anywhere that something protrudes through the roof or where the plane of a roof meets a barrier.
LMC Roofing & Building Ltd are professional roofers who offer comprehensive roofing, building and landscaping services to domestic, commercial and industrial customers.
