Asphalt shingle roofs are arguably the most popular type of roof for residential houses. They are both reasonable in cost and can last over two decades with proper care. But like anything, these roofs need to be replaced. If you have this type of roof for your house, there will come a time when it needs to be replaced. The following are a few things to be aware of that indicate it may be time for you to have a new roof installed.
Increased granule loss on the shingles
Asphalt shingles are popular for their endurance and longevity, but over time, they begin to wear down. And they do so in a literal sense. As these shingles age, they will begin to shed the granules that coat the asphalt base. These tiny particles are made of stone that is often coated in a ceramic material to give them color. However, they offer valuable protection to the asphalt base of the shingle. When this begins to fall off, it is usually time to replace the roof. You can see this deterioration by inspecting your rain gutters after a storm when everything has dried. Over time, this process will also manifest itself as bald spots on the shingles.
Shingles are curling or breaking
Sometimes your shingles may look good on the surface, but you notice many of them are starting to curl. Although there are many reasons asphalt shingles can curl, perhaps the number one cause is prolonged exposure to heat over time. If the curling is due to aging, a repair is not the way to go. You will need a roof replacement. Another sign of aging shingles is brittleness. At this stage of the roof's life cycle, you may crack the shingles simply by walking on them. You may also see broken shingles with a visual inspection of your roof.
Increase in the cost of repairs
This is something that can sneak up on you without realizing it. Each time you need a repair, the costs go up, but not because of inflation or roofers charging more — instead, it's because your house needs more work done to the roof. Larger areas need to be fixed. Bigger jobs mean higher bills. What you can do is go back over your records for roof repair to see exactly how much money you are spending over a specific length of time.
If you have increasing roof repair bills or have noticed the telltale signs of aging asphalt shingles, such as curling, brittleness, or loss of granules, then you need to begin the process of roof replacement. This begins by getting a couple of quotes from a roofing company near you.
