It is a common knowledge (at least for the roofing professionals), that the lifetime of a regular tiled roof stands approximately at 15-20 years… That meaning, while a majority of any kinds of birthdays makes us glad, happy and eagerly waiting, the roof’s 20th birthday does and should not. That kind of an age is definitely a threshold for considering your options on replacing it with a new one…
Inspecting your roof at least once a year ensures that the shingles, flashing, and other features are in good shape.
A roof inspection is one of those preventative maintenance jobs that’s easy to overlook. Don’t. Add a once-a-year reminder on your calendar to go out on a warm day and fix any problems you find.
If you’re fearful of the heights, don’t worry. You can do a thorough inspection from the ground using a pair of binoculars.
Or, you can get up close and personal with your roof using a ladder. However, there’s no need to get up on your roof just yet. The less you walk around up there, the better for your roofing — and the safer for you. Work your way around your house, noting any potential problems.
Here’s what to look for:
- Cracked caulk or rust spots on flashing.
- Shingles that are buckling, curling, or falling off…
- Missing or broken shingles.
- Cracked and worn rubber boots around vent pipes.
- Missing or damaged chimney cap. (OK, that’s technically not part of your roof, but since you’re looking anyway.)
- Amassed moss and lichen, which could signal the roof is decaying underneath. Black algae stains are just cosmetic.
If you find piles of colored grit from asphalt roof tiles in the gutters, that’s a bad sign — those sand-like granules cover the surface of roof shingles and shield them from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays.
Inspect the age of your roofing and see if it’s nearing the end of its life cycle (which averages 15-20 years)…