If your home's roof is old, you may be wondering whether it could be time to have it replaced. While looking over the shingles, you may have noticed a couple of areas of damage but are thinking you could squeak by simply having those areas repaired.
Especially since your roof is old, there may be much worse damage than you may see at first glance. As you deepen your inspection of the structure, look for a couple of signs that your home's roof needs to be fully replaced as soon as possible.
1. Widespread Moss Growth Appears in Multiple Areas on the Roof
One sign that your home's roof has catastrophic unseen damage is when you start seeing moss growing on the shingles. While a few spots do not indicate a serious issue, widespread growth in multiple areas means that there is ample water for the moss.
As the shingles and decking age, they become more porous and susceptible to water retention. Since the water is retained, the moisture creates an ideal environment for the moss to take root and grow.
While the moss itself may not cause problems, the retained water means that the shingles and wood are deteriorating. This will lead to water leaks and rotting of the decking. As soon as you see massive areas of growth, have a roofer inspect it to find the source of the moisture.
2. Horizontal Lines of the Roof No Longer Appear Straight and Even
Another sign that you need to have your roof replaced as soon as possible is when you start to notice that its horizontal lines are no longer straight and even. Upon further investigation, you may find that the reason for this unevenness is that the roof has started to sag.
If your roof is sagging, the decking that normally supports the shingles is no longer strong enough to hold them up. Eventually, the roof could collapse if the decking fails completely. Having the decking and shingles replaced will keep this from happening.
If your roof has moss growing in multiple areas, the shingles and decking beneath them are retaining water that will lead to rapid deterioration of the structure. This deterioration will lead to the roof sagging because the decking can no longer support the weight of the shingles. In either of these cases, your roof is in danger of leaking or even collapsing. Before this happens, contact a contractor who performs full roof replacements to have them ascertain the full extent of the damage and discuss your options.
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