How many times do you look at your roof? Most people run in and out of their houses, commute their kids back and forth, and look up at the roofline every now and then as they back out of the entrance.
But to inspect your building covering on regular basis and to make little fixes when required can avoid some expensive repairs in few years. You can keep those drops of the rain from dropping on your head. There is one more advantage- keeping the roof of your house in a good condition will also be an additional plus point in case you sell your house.
Beginning for replacing your roof
So, what are the things that you should be looking for when you are inspecting the roof of your house? NRCA (The National Roofing Contractors Association) advise you to inspect your roof at least twice annually- fall and spring. The perfect places to start are inside your home- take a flashlight and take a round to your attic.
The 4 things that you should be looking for inside are:
- Places at which the deck of the roof is drooping.
- Signs of leakage or water damage.
- Trails and dark spots
- The light from the outside showing through the roof.
When to Replace Roof Shingles
Some of the easy ways to know that it’s time for replacing the roof shingles are:
- When they are overused or battered.
- When they do not have any more granules on them.
- When they are torn, ripped, have holes in them or are dented.
- When they are being the cause of leakages in the house.
- When you want to change the colour.
- When they were incorrectly installed.
- When you want to create a ‘How to replace Roof shingles’ videos on YouTube.
- When you are just feeling bored and want to feel useful and handy.
- When you want to safe some bucks.
- When a branch tree, a tree, or just a rain has fallen on them and have caused destruction.
When to Replace Roof Tiles- Exterior check
One must pay attention to the following things when they are looking at the roof exterior:
- Missing shingles
- Damages flashing
- Blistering
- Curling
- Rotting
- Buckling
- Growth of algae (it occurs mostly when the climate is moist and looks greenish and show dark strains)
When to Replace Roof Felt
Roofing felt was first proposed in the 1930s. It had 2 Primary functions. It was used as a protective barrier for the house before the construction of the main roof covering. It also performed the function of being a secondary barrier to the rain which was wind driven and the snow which pierced under the covering of the roof and also functioned as a barrier to the potential pests such as birds and insects. Roof felt is impenetrable to water and if enough ventilation is not accessible, then water can build up on the lower side of the felt. This water can then drop on the attic floor and cause dampness which can show up on the ceilings. This the perfect time when one should consider replacing the roof felt.
When to Replace Roof Sheathing
The roof is equally good as roof deck. Roof sheathing subsists of sheet materials which form the flat surface which plays the role of a nailing base for the shingles. Sheathing- commonly oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood- is made from thin veneer strips or laminating wood fibres under pressure. Consistent moisture can result in the de-lamination of the sheathing, rendering it unsalvageable. In case the sheathing has warping or spongy areas, change it before you install the new shingles.
Conclusion
We discussed about all the points when you require to replace the roof and also the cost to replace roof. There are various points to be kept in mind while choosing the right time and kind to replace the roofing. They will help you to calculate the correct estimate. After reading this there is no need to ask the question again “How to know when to replace a roof?”
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