As spring approaches, the sun comes out, the snow melts, and many homeowners start to worry about their roofs. Getting a new one may be the perfect solution if it was damaged throughout the winter. All you need to have is a new roof cost and the best roofing company near me!

A roof replacement may seem like a big project, but it’s not as complicated as you might think. Additionally, a replacement increases the value, comfort, and appearance of your home. In the long run, it becomes a worthwhile investment, but one that pays off in unexpected ways. The price of a replacement is the most worrying issue for most homeowners, but the benefits that come with a good roof usually outweigh the cost.

The benefits of replacing or repairing a roof both depend on the damage your roof sustained from a storm or its age. When should you get a replacement? How much is the average cost to replace siding? There are several factors to consider.

Call DNS Exterior Inc. today to schedule an appointment! We are excited to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to contact us!

A wide range of siding options are available at DNS Exterior, so you can be confident we have the best choice for your home. View our reviews on our website to find out if our services are a good fit for your needs.

You may be asking yourself, “Should I replace my roof?” Well, here are 23 things to consider before making that decision. The answer will depend on many different factors, but it’s important to know the pros and cons of replacing your roof so you can make an informed decision. This blog post walks you through all the things that go into deciding whether or not to replace your roof with a new one!

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Should I Replace My Roof? Here Are 23 Signs Your Roof Needs To Be Replaced:

Damaged or growing moss patches can be a cause for concern when you first notice them since a sturdy roof keeps you and your family safe. However, before you start panicking and calling roofing companies, dig deeper into the problem. 

To determine whether it’s time to replace your roof, you should know what to look for.

1. Cracking 

There will have to be a replacement of the shingles if there are cracks. Vigilance remains important because the extent of the replacement depends on how quickly the problem is found.

2. Wind Damage

When you have a wind-damaged roof, you may not be able to detect the exposed spots on the roof, especially if the shingles have been lifted. It is possible that a shingle lifted by wind has loosened the sealant and possibly the nail, requiring the roof to be replaced.

3. Exposed Nails

Leaky roofs are often caused by rusted nails. It may be necessary to replace the roof if there are a lot of nails exposed and they’ve been exposed for a long time.

4. Granules Missing

Due to the loss of granules over time, you may need to replace your roof entirely, depending on the age of your roof and how many granules remain.

5. Curling

Curled shingles are often an indication of bigger problems, like leaks, which means the roof needs to be replaced. You can have curling shingles because they weren’t lined up correctly, they’re old, they weren’t installed correctly, you’ve got poor attic ventilation or you have layers of roofing. The sooner you get it checked out, the better. If you notice curls, get it checked out immediately.

6. Leakage

When your roof leaks, you need to get it fixed as soon as possible. It can result in structural damage if the problem is not addressed quickly.

7. Roof Cement

Roofing shingles can leak where they meet walls and chimneys, which is why metal flashing prevents this. Roofers who are sloppy sometimes smother roof cement rather than doing proper flashing work. The water is sealed out during the cashing of your check, however, it soon hardens and causes leaks. 

The only thing it accomplishes is to make a proper repair more difficult. Therefore, if you see heavy “tar” patchwork on your roof, make sure to fix it – before it leaks and leads to interior damage. However, refrain from replacing the entire roof.

8. No Chimney Cricket

You form a dam on your roof when you have a wide chimney. Whenever debris builds up behind the dam, it retains moisture, resulting in rusted flashings and wood rot. For chimneys wider than 30 inches. In the brick chimney is usually a little roof, called a ‘cricket’ or “saddle”. 

Water and debris will be channeled around the chimney and off the roof when a chimney cricket is installed properly. Watch for holes rusting through your flashing if your chimney does not have one. Make sure your contractor’s quote includes a cricket if you’re getting a new roof, but don’t replace the roof if it doesn’t seem to be outdated.

9. Missing Kick-Out Flashing

Kick-out flashing plays a crucial role in connecting roof edges with sidewalls. When it is not present, roof runoff can flow down the wall and possibly into the wall. A door or a window below can allow water to seep behind the trim when there is a door or window below. 

Sheathing and framing are eventually destroyed by rot, even if you don’t notice it for years. Stucco may be the only thing holding up a wall in extreme cases! If that happens to you, take action now. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to replace the roof, but you’ll have to repair it.

10. Bad Chimney Flashing

As part of good chimney flashing, there should be sections of “step flashing” that run up the chimney sides, and “counterflashing,” which is installed in grooves cut into the chimney and covers the step flashing on the chimney. 

Sloppy roofers take shortcuts because cutting, fitting, and installing all those parts takes time. Roof sheathing and framing members often rot because of improperly flashed chimneys (top photo). Water should not run down the chimney face and into the attic if the chimney is properly step-flashed and counter-flashed.

Water cannot be kept out of your home with caulk or roof cement. Crawl into the attic after heavy rain if you suspect that your flashing is poor. Examine the chimney and the area below it for signs of water.

Should you ever wonder how much is a Roof Replacement Cost, then give us a Call at DNS Exterior Inc. today so you can get a Roof Replacement Estimate! 

11. Missing Gutter Apron

In addition to dribbling towards the fascia, some water clings to the underside of the shingles when it flows off the edge of your roof. Having gutters without an apron will result in the water wicking behind the gutter. Even the roof sheathing will rot if the fascia and soffits are not replaced. 

Water stains may be visible below the gutter on the fascia and soffit. This is a clear indication the gutter apron has been removed. It may not be necessary for you to get a replacement immediately, but sooner or later you may have to do so.

Installing a gutter apron when you get new shingles is the best time. The gutter apron can, however, be slipped underneath existing shingles. You can “glue” it to the shingles by dabbing roof cement every couple of feet. After installing the apron, you’ll need to remove gutter brackets or straps and reattach them. Home centers sell gutter aprons in lengths of 10 feet.

12. Hail Damage

Hailstones can tear or puncture asphalt shingles when they strike them. Most of the time, it just knocks granules off the surface. When shingles lose their protective granules, UV rays from the sun begin to damage them. 

Around the damaged area, granules continue to fall off and the bruise continues to grow. In case you suspect hail damage, have a roof replacement near me to inspect your roof. Hail damage inspections are typically free. 

13. Damaged Plumbing Vent Boots

Boots for plumbing vents might be made purely of plastic, of plastic and metal, or two pieces of metal. Plastic bases should be checked for cracks, and metal bases should be checked for broken seams. Next, inspect the rubber boot around the pipe. Rotting away or tearing can allow water to make its way into a house. 

The old vent boot should be replaced if any of these problems occur. In most cases, replacing the boot will solve the problem and won’t require a complete roof replacement. Replace the nails at the base with rubber washer screws if the nails at the base are missing or pulled off and the boot is in good condition. 

14. Damaged Shingles

It is ugly and a leak waiting to happen when a shingle breaks. However, finding matching shingles (and not being afraid of heights) are the only requirements for the repair. 

15. Roof Vent Issues

Plastic roof vent housings and metal roof vent seams should be checked for cracks. The easiest solution might be to apply caulk to the problem, but this won’t last very long. Otherwise, the damaged vents need to be replaced. Make sure the base’s bottom edge doesn’t have any missing or pulled nails. If there are, replace them with rubber washer screws.

It’s usually possible to pull the vent free by removing nails under the shingles on both sides. You should also be able to remove nails from the top of the vent as well. If those are loose, you can usually work them out without removing shingles, so you don’t even have to replace the roof. 

Put a rubber washer screw on the bottom. Put a bead of caulk underneath the shingles on both sides of the vent to keep them in place and to act as a water barrier. You won’t have to reattach the shingles.

16. Loose Step Flashing

Walls intersecting the roof are flashed with step flashing. Water is channeled downhill from each flashing section over the shingle. However, if the flashing rusts through, or a piece comes loose, water will run right behind it and into the house. You might not have to replace the whole thing, but the problem needs to be addressed.

17. Holes Drilled For Purpose

You may not notice a leak for years before rot and other damages are caused by tiny holes in shingles. Any number of holes can be found, whether they are leftover from satellite dishes or antenna mounting brackets. 

Likewise, roofing nails that have been misplaced and exposed should be pulled out and damaged areas patched. Fixing small holes is simple, but it does not involve injecting caulk into them. The roof will have to be patched using flashing and spot-replaced.

18. Rusted Chimney Flashing

Brick chimneys are prone to all sorts of disasters. The flashing around chimneys might rust through if it’s galvanized steel, especially where it’s bent at 90 degrees. It is possible to slip new flashing under the old rusted stuff for a quick and relatively long-term fix. This will divert any water that seeps through.

19. Fix Walls And Dormers

The shingle surface isn’t always where water comes in. Often, wind-driven rains come in from above the roof, particularly around windows, between siding corners, and through siding cracks and knotholes. Water dribbles down and enters the roof a lot through dormer walls. 

Between corner boards and between window edges and siding, caulk can be old, cracked, or even missing. These cracks allow water to penetrate and work its way into the house behind the flashing. 

Even though it appears intact, caulk might not be sealing. Use a putty knife to check if the area has been sealed. Caulk that is suspect should be removed and siliconized latex caulk should be used. Make sure the siding above the step flashing is intact. 

The new siding should overlap the step flashing by at least two inches if it is cracked, rotted, or missing. Check the overlapping flashing at the corner of the roof if there is still a leak. There may be old, hardened caulk where the two pieces overlap at the inside corner, but this does not necessarily require a complete roof replacement, only a spot fix at the most.

20. Complex Roof Problem

It leaks when it snows in winter and when it rains during summer storms, probably due to poor flashing. One of the most challenging areas to waterproof is the soffit that meets the roof. As can be seen from the photo, there is still evidence of ice damming. 

Ice dams form when melting snow freezes when it hits the edges of your roof, which are colder. Water pools behind the dam and eventually finds an opening in the roof before flowing back up under the shingles and the soffit.

It’s important to fix the flashing since this will prevent leaks from rainfall and could in some cases prevent leaks from ice dams. Under the soffit/main roof joint, remove the shingles down to the wood sheathing and install a strip of adhesive ice-and-water barrier (available wherever roofing products are sold). 

You may need to cut a slot to fit it in far enough depending on how the roofs join. Ensure it is laid over another piece of ice-and-water barrier so that it extends to the roof edge. Make sure you cover the areas that are most prone to leaks with this. 

Once the roof is reshingled, slide a metal step flashing behind the fascia board (the trim behind the gutter). Overlapping the step flashing at least 2 inches should be the practice when installing valley flashing over the joint where two roofs meet.

Adding roof edge heating cables may be necessary if leaks continue from ice dams. If your roof is complicated, you might not be able to remove ice dams with improved insulation and ventilation (available at hardware stores and home centers).

21. Daylight Is Visible

A roof damage check should be performed in the attic. The roof should not allow daylight to pass through the boards. If it does, something is amiss. Be sure to check for moisture up there as well while you’re up there. Roofing boards soiled with water or insulation that is moist are indicators of a leaky roof. 

22. Greenhouse On The Roof

If you have vegetation on your roof, you don’t necessarily need to replace it; however, you should clean it. In addition to damaging roof materials, plants can also attract other critters (such as creepy crawlies and other pests). Cleaning the roof yourself can be done with ladders, a cleaning solution, a hose, and a broom, or you can hire a roof cleaning service.

23. Roof Has Saggy Or Droopy Spots

Sagging or drooping spots are a sure sign that your decking (the structure that holds up your roof) has been weakened by moisture, and that you will need a new roof. Do you feel safe walking on the roof? Get off if it feels spongy or has a little bounce to it like you are walking on a trampoline.

In cases where signs indicate that you need a new roof, a roofing contractor can assess the situation and make recommendations for a repair or replacement. Look no further! We are here to help you! DNS Exterior Inc., The Best Roofing Company Near Me. However, by performing routine maintenance on your roof, you can help prevent some of the issues outlined above.

Stop yourself asking this question, “Should I replace my roof?” and call DNS Exterior Inc. today to schedule an appointment! We are excited to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to contact us at (815) 293-6311. 

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