Wouldn’t it be great if your shingle roof would last forever? Well like most things, shingles will age. If you want a longer lasting roofing material (2/3X longer), look into installing metal or tile.
Not all shingles age similarly. In order to evaluate the life of your shingles, check the manufacturer’s warranty. The manufacturer’s warranty will give you a good estimate to gage the timeframe at which the shingles would normally start breaking down on their own, calling for a roof replacement. Have a roofer come out and look at your roof. Roof check-ups are another option that can aid in judging how much time your roof has left.
When shingles age, they will crack, curl, or become loose. These are the most obvious signs of deterioration. There are some other common determinants as well; aging shingles tend to lose the ability to hold the granules on the surface. With the hardening of your shingle over time, water will wash the granules down into the gutter, so if you think deterioration is beginning to occur, check your gutters. It is also important to check the shingles themselves too. Aged shingles will have large areas with granules missing, which can easily be spotted by the naked eye.
Another good indicator that your shingles may be reaching the end of their days, are the flaps. New shingles come with sharp 90 degree corners on all their flaps. As rain slots widen (if they’re bigger than your pinkie than it’s time to have a roof inspection), the corners erode as well. On a 20 year shingle, you will see the rounding around year 15, and it will accelerate the following years. If the flaps are cracking, you should also be concerned for your roof. Cracks develop from the wind and will eventually break off. If the cracks get too large, roof leaks will result.
Hail storms and severe wind can also crack or break shingles. After a storm, it’s important to inspect your roof. Even newer roofs can become damaged, and older roofs may result in exacerbated damage. Luckily insurance will should cover the repair or replacement of your roof in that case.
It’s important to repair any damage you see immediately, or more costly consequences will result. It would also benefit you as a homeowner to contact an experienced roofing contractor (like Lone-Star Roof Systems, LP.) to come out and inspect your roof. If the contractor determines a repair is necessary, allow them to proceed. If they determine a full roof replacement is necessary, it would also be in your best interest to let them do the work. It’s really not advised to try and replace or repair a roof yourself if you are inexperienced.
Citation:
Teal, Allen. “5 Signs That Say Your Roof Shingles Are Aging.” Associated Content from Yahoo. Web. 11 Oct. 2011. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1698940/5_signs_that_say_your_roof_shingles_pg2.html?cat=6.
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College Station, TX 77840
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College Station, TX 77845