Your home’s building envelope is one of its essential components. It’s what covers your dwelling and consists of the subfloor, exterior doors, windows, walls, and roof. Over time, these components will deteriorate in their physical characteristics. Your external door might need repainting seven to ten years down the line; your walls might need cleaning or changing. Your roof might also need repairs and replacements. This article’s focus is on your roofing system. How’ll you know it’s time to replace it? Read on to find out the answer to this.
Look for the following signs:
1. Loose Roof Parts
Roof contractors install different roofing materials differently. However, most of them are done in layers, with overlapping. With prolonged use of your roof and harsh weather conditions, some jointings become loose. For instance, if your roofing is shingles, these are laid on each other using adhesives and sealants. Due to excessive moisture exposure over a long period, its efficacy reduces over time. Some parts of the shingles come off, with others blown away by strong winds.
To avoid these, consider getting a ladder and inspecting your roofing material. Should you see several missing and loose parts, you need roof replacement Vienna services or those in your area. If you fail to hire one immediately, you might wake up to a section of your roof missing. It’s not only unsafe, but it exposes your home to the discomfort of weather elements.
2. Light Passing Through The Roof
Most homeowners fancy natural light coming into their homes. It could be from windows, glazed doors, skylights, vents, etc. However, not all natural light penetrating your home is a good sign, especially when coming through your roofing material.
Make a point of checking your roof, from the inside of your home, during the day. Do you see the light passing through your roof? If yes, it’s a sign your roof needs replacement. Light passing through your roof means your roofing material is thinning. Thin roofing material isn’t suitable to envelop your home. It’s not strong enough and might break when a heavy material falls on it. It could cause accidents and injuries in your home.
3. A Damp Attic
Even if most homeowners barely utilize their attics, this space should have fresh air. Stuffiness in your attic is often a sign of poor ventilation. However, dampness is where you draw the line between likelihood and the norm. Your attic can’t get moisture from anywhere; there must be a source. If your attic has no vents or openings, your roof is the likely source of moisture.
Consider looking around the attic. If you store books there, are they damp? Do they have mold on their surfaces? Check for the same if you have clothes therein. Feel the walls and floor if you don’t store anything in your attic. Do they feel damp? These are signs that water is finding its way into your attic, and the only source is your roof. Inspect your roof for damage and its extent. Either way, you should replace your roof to prevent the water damage from extending into your home through the attic.
4. Stains In Your Home
Identifying issues with your roof do not end in inspecting the roof itself. The damage might be there, but it’s not visible to you. How do you identify such damage? Simple; look for signs in your home.
One element to inspect is your ceiling. Is it in its original color? Do you see stains on it, specifically brown stains? Ceiling stains from water damage present themselves in patches, with the borders being dark or light brown. The extent of the circle shows how the water spreads, including the drying rate. Once you identify the stain, inspect your roof directly above this stain. It’ll often be the source of the water.
One or two ceiling stains don’t necessarily mean you have to replace your entire roof. Repairs at the identified sources can suffice. However, if a major part of your ceiling is filled with stains, replacing your entire roof would be more economical.
The other element to inspect is your walls. Rainwater from a leaking roof is also likely to present itself on your walls. Instead of round stains, like on your ceiling, you’ll see line-like stains. The lines will run from the top of the walls, down its height, to where the water dries at. The lines will also be stained light or dark brown. Once again, follow the line up to the exact point on your roof. If the stains are many, replace your roof.
Conclusion
Your roof is a vital building element. It protects you from external weather and safeguards your household items from damage. However, it’ll only serve this purpose if it’s in pristine condition. This article has discussed the signs that show your roof isn’t in good condition. Utilize the tips as you inspect your roof and consider replacing your roof.
