by A. C. O'Brien

Created on: December 20, 2008   Last Updated: February 21, 2009

Your home's roof is the most important part of your weatherproofing so pay attention to it. A leak can cause incalculable damage in a relatively short time. Often spot roof repairs are necessitated by falling trees, high winds, hail or foul weather side effects.

You can examine your roof from an attic window or with a pair of binoculars from the ground. Go outside on a bright sunny day and check each side of the roof as the sun is shining on it. You should be seeing straight rows of even spaced, flat lying, square shingles or tiles. There should be no curling and no spaces, no chips and no dark spots in the roofing. Take the time to look at the base of the chimney and the bottom of any vent pipes. The tiles should meet the flashing seamlessly. If any of these criteria are not met call in a roofer for further examination. There are several problems that your roofer may find. Check from any upstairs windows that have a roof view too, these views can be surprisingly revealing.

You might want to take this opportunity to check your gutters while you are there.

PITCHED ROOFS:

Signs that your home may need a new roof:

~ Rotting occurs from the absorption of moisture by the natural matting at the core of the shingle. This is a common problem seen mostly with organic-based shingles. Using a synthetic shingle will reduce this likelihood. Most asphalt shingled roof jobs will last 20 to 25 years barring damage from extreme weather.

~ Water marks on your home's ceiling or walls may indicate the need for a new roof.

~ Broken or missing shingles, this occurs when the shingles were nailed too high, you may just need a few shingles replaced.

~ Curling of shingles at their edges, you will need a new roof.

~ Buckling or uneven lying of the shingles which often occurs when the under felt underlining was poorly installed; you will likely need a new roof.

~ Missing or damaged flashing around your chimney or vent pipes can usually be repaired with out a whole new roof.

FLAT ROOFS:

Some indoor symptoms indicating the need for a new roof are:

~ Leaks, i.e. dripping water into the indoor space.

~ Damp patches at the edge of the ceiling.

~ Water spots on the ceiling tiles of a suspended ceiling.

~ Dampness or water damage to your home's walls and furniture.

Symptoms you will notice from the outside that point to the need of a new roof:

~ Pooling / standing water on the roof. Water can't drain away, and sits in puddles, it will eventually find it's way into the house.

~ Blisters or bubbles on the roof surface mean failing material, it is time for a new roof.

~ Damaged seams and flashing on the roof surface or around the exhaust pipes and chimney, these can often be spot repaired.

~ Cracks holes and loosened fastenings.

No matter your problem a good honest roofer will be able to tell you if your home needs a new roof or just a simple repair. Tending to repairs in a timely manner will give your home a longer life and you peace of mind.

A NOTE OF CAUTION;

Be suspicious of any roofer who arrives in a truck with out of state license plates. These are often "travelers" or "gypsies" who will take apart the existing roof and leave you with a mess as they evaporate in the night.

They often approach home owners saying that they are doing a job in the neighborhood (verify this, get the address where they claim to be working and drive over and talk to your neighbors). They may claim that they have left over materials that they will use at a great discount on your home. Most often their materials, if they ever arrive, are inferior or damaged.

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