How to Know the Best Time to Replace Your Roof

The roof of your home is an essential part of your weather protection and your energy efficiency. Due to the fact that it’s often exposed to extreme temperature swings and various weather occurrences, you will have to learn a thing or two about its maintenance. Here, you have two options – repair and replacement. Due to the fact that the repair is immediate, less costly and something that you can do on your own, it’s usually a go-to choice (when possible). Sometimes, however, it’s best to simply repair your entire roof. Here are several signs to help you recognize the latter scenario.

1. == The age of the roof ==

The older your roof gets, the more susceptible to damage it will become. A typical roof lasts between 20 and 25 years, which gives you a time market to look out for. Now, you need to be aware of the fact that a roof replacement is a major investment. Therefore, it’s only cost-efficient to do it properly, so that you don’t have to repair or replace the roof as often. For instance, if you were to see damage in your roof about 5 years after you’ve installed it, a repair would be the right move. On the other hand, the damage that occurs 18, 20 or 25 years after the installation might be an indicator that a replacement is in order.

2. == Warning signs that you need a new roof ==

There are some signs that may indicate your roof to be in a far worse state than you originally thought it will be. For instance, we’ve already mentioned that your roof plays a crucial part in the home’s energy efficiency, which is why your utility bill might start going up. If daylight seeps into your home or there’s a leak due to missing shingles in several places. Also, if a lot of your shingles have cracks or curled edges, it might be the time to work on this. One more thing, it’s usually worth your while to consult experts like those behind Renew Roof Restorations and ask for their honest opinion on the state of the roof.

3. == Figuring out the best time to install ==

The time of the year that you choose for the installation is also quite important, seeing as how it might affect the working conditions. For instance, during winter a DIY repair is quite dangerous due to the fact that the roof is quite slippery. Also, new shingles need to go under thermal sealing which may be a tad more complex this way. However, it will be a lot easier to find professionals, seeing as how their schedule is more free than usual. During the summer, however, is when the majority of this work takes place, seeing as how the conditions are more favourable.

4. == Manmade error ==

Finally, you need to understand the fact that a bad repair and bad installation usually lead to more problems, even if they do solve some of the initial issues. The biggest problem here lies in the fact that you’ll already spend a sizable portion of your budget to solve the problem. Therefore, you might want to avoid DIY repairs, as well as check the reputation of the agency that you’re hiring to perform the works.

[edit] In conclusion

In the end, you need to bear in mind the fact that a replacement is always more efficient than the repair. However, it’s more expensive, takes more time and may make you vacate your home for a couple of days. Still, once you get this done, the cost of your home’s maintenance might drop significantly. Over the course of time, the ROI of such a project will definitely be a positive one.