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3 Signs Your Asphalt Shingle Roof Needs Replacing

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Signs Your Asphalt Shingle Roof Needs Replacing

A healthy roof is necessary to protect you, your family, and your assets. Routine care and maintenance can prevent a whole host of emergencies, but even the best-cared-for roof ages and needs replacement eventually. Here are 3 signs it may be time to replace your asphalt shingle roof:

It’s Reaching the End of Its Life Span

When was your roof built or last repaired? Experts agree that an asphalt shingle roof’s lifetime is between 20 and 25 years. Anything beyond that is susceptible to major damage and is due for a replacement. If your roof is more commonly exposed to harsher weather conditions such as hurricanes, tropical storms, blizzards, or ice, that may significantly reduce the lifespan of your roof.

If you’re unsure of the age of your roof, hire a roof inspector or professional roofing contractor. A good inspector will come fully licensed and certified to help identify the age of your roof using technically refined skills from years of experience. Bringing in an expert often is the best way to know when it’s time to replace your roof.

>> Does My Roof Need Replaced?

You See Worn, Broken, or Missing Shingles

Evaluating the health of your shingles is important to understanding how effective your roof is. Shingles are specifically designed to withstand and endure the inclement weather conditions your home faces. They help protect your roof by carrying run-off rainwater and snowmelt away from your roof to keep your underlayer, decking, and rafters dry.

Over time, these shingles wear down. They can show signs of buckling when the roof sheathing moves beneath the shingles due to moisture exposure in the attic. If your attic does not have proper ventilation, moisture can build up in the heat, causing shingles to warp and curl as well. You’ll want to take a hard look at your shingles to check for signs of buckling, curling, or warping in addition to falling apart or even missing shingles.

Be sure to also check your roof valleys for damaged or missing shingles. This area endures the most wear and tear since it collects rainwater and snowfall throughout the year and carries it down to your gutters. If your shingles show signs of these poor conditions, your roof is at risk of major water damage.

You Find Mold or Mildew in the Attic

For a closer look, take a walk upstairs to your attic to inspect the insulation and plywood surfaces for signs of water damage. You may find light or dark colored mold or mildew lurking behind your insulation and on the surfaces of your roof framing and sheathing. Further inspect your trusses for wood rot with a moisture meter that measures elevated moisture content in water stains. Your attic is the perfect place to check for signs of water stains, leaks, or other damage, since it will be the first place on the interior of your home to be impacted by a poor roof.

This is also the time to look for proper insulation and ventilation set-ups. If your attic does not have proper ventilation, warm air rises in your home and gets trapped in the attic. The warm air then condenses, providing yet another opportunity for water to damage your roofing structures. If you see natural light showing through or sagging roof decking inside the attic, it may be time to replace your asphalt shingle roof.

>> Check Your Roofing Health Here

Roof Repair & Replacement Services in Maryland

Is it time to replace your old roof? With over 20 years of experience, Select Home Exteriors provides professional roof repair and replacement throughout Maryland. Contact us today for your free estimate.

4 Things You Must Do to Protect Your Roof This Winter

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Protect Your Roof This Winter

Winter weather can be tough on your roof. Snow, ice, and harsh winds all can wreck havoc on your shingles and flashing, causing major problems for you and your family. To protect from expensive repairs mid-winter, take these 4 steps to protect your roof before the cold weather hits:

Clean your gutters

Clogged gutters and downspouts can harbor moisture, causing frozen water to expand and damage gutters. Cracked, sagging gutters can cause damage not only from pulling away from the rest of your roof, but also when the ice begins to thaw in the spring. Water that cannot properly drain can puddle on your roof or drain directly onto your foundation, leading to long-term, expensive damage if it isn’t remedied quickly.

Get up on a ladder with your trusty trowel and bucket and clear all the leaves, sticks, and other debris that have collected in your gutters since spring. Lug a hose up there, too, and run some water through the gutters to check for leaks and to be sure your downspouts are funneling water properly. If you feel uncomfortable performing this task, a handyman or other outdoor home professional should be able to make quick work of the job.

Check your roof ventilation

Warm air inside your home from ovens, bathrooms, and the general use of your furnace meets with cold outside air at your roof line. If your roof doesn’t have proper ventilation for the inner warm air, a difference of temperatures will be created and can cause snow and ice to melt, then re-freeze, forming an ice dam. To avoid this problem, you must keep your roof line as cool as possible.

While you’re up on the roof, make sure you have vents capable of handling the heat from your oven, your clothes dryer, and all bathrooms. If you have vents already, make sure they’re clear and in proper working condition. If you discover you don’t have adequate ventilation, contact a home professional before winter really sets in.

Insulate your attic

Much like improper roof ventilation, inadequate attic insulation easily creates a temperature differential on your roof, which can create ice dams. Ice dams can cause serious damage to your shingles, roof joists, and drywall inside your home, as water backs up onto your roof and pools or leaks inside.

Get up in your attic and check that it’s properly insulated. If you don’t have any insulation, or inadequate insulation, get some installed as soon as possible. For existing insulation, check that there are no holes or missing sections, which can cause drafts. Inspect around windows and vents to make sure the seals around them are intact and sufficient.

Trim your trees

Branches or other vegetation that hang over the roof can be magnets for collected snow and ice during winter months. If the plant is weak, or you have particularly heavy snow or ice accumulation, this can lead to branches breaking off and falling on your roof. This can cause pierced shingles, broken gutters, or other damage to your home and roof.

Before the winter weather hits, take a pair of shears or a chainsaw and trim off any branches that hang over your roof or gutters. If you don’t feel comfortable getting up that high, or you don’t know how to properly trim your trees, contact a tree maintenance or outdoor home professional for help.

Expert Exterior Upgrades in Central Maryland

At Select Home Exteriors, we offer more than 15 years of experience with roofing repairs and replacement. Contact us today for your free estimate!