Not So Obvious Signs Your Roof Is At The End Of Its Life
Many times you can tell just by looking at your roof, that it needs repair. It’ll give you common signs like sunshine rays passing through or perhaps collapses. But there are times, the indicators are not that straightforward, and you may not know whether your roof needs repair or replacement, especially for commercial rooftops. Commercial buildings use different roofing materials and designs to support the massive footprints. As such, signs of deterioration aren’t that obvious. And again, it is easy to inspect the roof of your house as it is just a few feet up there. However, it’s almost impossible to get the view of an office building rooftop with over five floors, unless you go up to the ceiling. But even with that, you’ll be able to see only the common signs like the cracks and tears. Here are not so obvious warning signs that it might be time to call a roofer.
Not So Obvious Signs Your Roof Is At The End Of Its Life
Paying More Electricity Bills
Many reasons cause your energy cost to increase. But did you know that a bad roof is one of them? If it feels like you are trying too hard to control the weather inside your house, then it may be an indication that you need a new roof. A good start will be to take your electricity bill receipts over the last years and compare all relevant factors including the temperature. It’s best that you also put into consideration any changes that you made, which might be affecting the energy costs such as additional blinds. Make sure that you compare month to month. For instance, if February is less warm this year than last year, your electricity cost would be higher. But if the only thing you did was adding UV reflecting materials and the temperatures have dropped, but you still see a rise, that should raise your suspicions. Someone with a poor quality roof will be paying more money on energy because their roof is unable to efficiently seal the building hence unable to control the temperature. Which means, during warmer and colder climates the air conditioning system will use more energy to bring the temperatures inside the house to favorable degrees.
Presence of Bubbles and Blisters
Tears and cracks are visible signs that your roof needs replacement. But another indication that should worry you is if you notice bubbles and blisters on your roof. When liquid moisture is trapped on the roof membranes, bubbles are formed. If the problem is not solved right away, and the moisture is such that is trapped between the layers of the membrane or even the deck, blisters are formed. Science tells us that water evaporates when it is heated and enlarges the void that contains it. And with time, this leads to the creation of a blister. When the temperatures cool, the moisture condenses and creates a partial vacuum that can draw in air or water vapor via the tiny cracks. The process continues over a long time as the blisters enlarge and cause more damage to the membranes. However, the presence of blisters and bubbles doesn’t automatically mean that your roof needs repair. Check to analyze the damage (if any) first.
Rings of Dirt
After the rains, water dries up and leaves behind algae, fungus, dirt, and dust. If you don’t clean your roof regularly, moss could trap moisture against the roof which can damage it. Check mostly where the water puddles for any signs of moss. Remember, the more brown or green dirt rings or moss you have, the higher the chances that your roof may be nearing its end.
Your Roof is in its Late Twenties
Most roofs have a life span of between 20-30 years and some 50 years. Even if your roof is not showing any warning signs of poor performance, just the fact that it has stayed for over 20 years should be enough reason for you to make repair or replacement arrangements. It can be hard to tell if your roof is in bad shape especially if you are not a roofing expert. That is why it is essential that you have it inspected regularly by professional roofers. Doing that can help you know the early signs and fix them immediately before they become a bigger problem.
