Your roof is not just an aesthetic entity; your roof is vital to the overall protection and functionality of your home. A bad roof will not only allow moisture to make its way into your home, but it will also do a poor job of insulating your home as well.

For this reason, you need to ensure that it’s functioning properly at all times. How can you ensure that your roof is getting the job done? By making sure that it doesn’t demonstrate any signs of deterioration.

Here are the most common signs that you need a roof replacement.

Signs You Need a New Roof

There is no shortage of signs that you need a new roof. Some of the most common signs that your roof has gone bad are as follows:

You Have Missing Shingles

A sure sign that your roof isn’t getting the job done is if it’s missing shingles. If shingles are missing from your roof, moisture, heat, and cold are undoubtedly making their way into your home.

Depending on how many shingles are missing from your home, you’ll either need a minor replacement or a major replacement. If only a few shingles are missing, a partial replacement will get the job done. If a great number of shingles are missing, a full replacement will be needed.

Your Shingles are Curled

Take a look at your roof. Do its shingles look curled and frayed at their edges? If so, they have passed their expiration date and will need to be replaced.

Shingles typically curl in this manner after they’ve been exposed to excess amounts of moisture and sunlight. Allowing curled shingles to exist on your roof will almost certainly result in moisture, heat, and cold making their way into your home.

Your Shingles are Cracked

If your shingles are cracked, they are far past their expiration date. Cracked shingles have usually been past their expiration date for at least a few years. A cracked shingle is a shingle which has suffered extreme levels of deterioration.

Allowing cracked shingles to exist on your roof will not only allow moisture to seep into the wooden structure of your roof, but it will also allow heat and cold to seep in as well.

There’s Moss on Your Roof

In many cases, one of the signs you need a new roof is if your roof is covered in moss. While small amounts of moss can be eradicated from your roof, large amounts of moss are a bit of a challenge.

If moss has begun growing between and under your shingles, it has likely started to compromise the structural integrity of your home. This is due to the fact that moss retains moisture.

Your Energy Bills are Gradually Increasing

Are your energy bills getting more and more expensive every month? If so, your roofing could very well be the problem.

Roofing acts as insulation, preventing heat and cold from making its way into your home. When roofing goes bad, heat and cold make their way into your home without resistance, forcing your air conditioner and heater to work harder than they otherwise would.

There’s Light Peeking Into Your Attic

When installed correctly, most roofs should prevent light from making their way into your attic. Therefore, if the light is making its way from your roof into your attic, your roof may be suffering from some sort of impairment, especially in newer homes.

While light in your attic might not necessitate a full replacement, it, at the very least, may indicate a repair is needed.

Factors That Affect the Lifespan of Roofs

In general, there are three factors that affect the lifespan of a roof. Typically, the more you can take these factors out of the equation, the longer your roof will thrive.

Precipitation

The fact of the matter is that the rainier your area is, the faster your roof is going to deteriorate. This is true regardless of what your roof is made of. Moisture not only causes shingles and shakes to become waterlogged, but it also causes rusting on metal roofing materials.

There are several things you can do to stave off water damage. One of the keys is to keep your gutters clean. By cleaning your gutters regularly, you ensure that water isn’t able to pool on top of your roof.

It’s also a good idea to have your roof inspected every year or so. A professional roofer will be able to identify trouble spots and carry out measures to limit water damage.

Sunlight

Sunlight also tends to do damage to roofs. This is particularly true for asphalt shingles and wooden shakes.

The more sunlight and heat a roofing material is exposed to, the more that roofing material is going to dry out. The dryer a roofing material becomes, the more structural integrity it loses.

There are a few different things you can do to protect your roof from sunlight. Some roofing products can be coated with a reflective coating to prevent it from absorbing heat, but you can also make repairs on minor damage as well. Having a professional roofer check out your roof on a yearly basis will ensure that small problems don’t become big problems.

Maintenance

The fact of the matter is that your roof requires maintenance. This is true regardless of what type of roof you have. However, some roofing materials require more maintenance than do others.

Whereas asphalt and metal roofs require only sporadic maintenance, wooden shakes require regular maintenance. An asphalt roof can get by with a cleaning every 3 to 5 years. A wood roof will need to be cleaned, stained, and repaired on a consistent basis.

In any case, the better you take care of your roof over time, the longer it will thrive.

Dealing With a Bad Roof?

Are your shingles curled and cracked? Is there light peeking into your attic? If so, you’re dealing with a bad roof and should have it replaced as soon as possible.

Looking for a competent roofing company in the Sarasota, Florida area? SonShine Roofing is the company to call.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation!