Interior Signs Your Texas Home May Need a New Roof
If your roof is over a decade old, you’re probably wondering whether it needs to be replaced. How often and how soon should you consider replacing it? Finding answers to these questions can be challenging and many times the answers you need aren’t all in one place.
Did you know that YOU can perform a preliminary inspection for roof damage from the INSIDE of your home? No special roofing degree required!
The easiest way to assess your roof’s condition is by shining a flashlight with a bright beam from inside the attic during daylight hours. Once there, see if you can identify one (or more) of these signs that your Texas home needs a new roof.
Light is Shining Through the Roof
Before turning on your flashlight, look for streams of light shining through holes or cracks in your roof. If you notice daylight streaming through the roof that isn’t peeking through the vent(s) or soffit, it’s time to call a professional. If light is visible through your roof, it’s certain that rainwater and condensation are also infiltrating it.
Sagging Decking
In the same way that water weakens a piece of cardboard, it can also make your roof’s decking (or sheathing) begin to droop. If you identify any sagging areas in your roof, use a broom or your hand to lightly prod the sagging spot. If it feels wet, soft, or bends easily, you know you have moisture damage.
Dark Stains and Streaks
This problem area is also easy to identify. If you observe streaks or stains on the underside of your roof or dripping down the walls from the base of your roof, it probably has a leak and moisture is causing damage to both your roof and your home’s interior structure.
Water Damage and Leaks
In addition to looking for sagging areas and dark streaks on the walls, be sure to investigate any noticeable signs of leakage, or roof (or wall) decay. If water is dripping into your attic, you’ll notice dark stains on the sheathing as well as spots where the blow-in insulation appears darkened. The insulation may also have a dip, divet or hole.
If you notice any obvious signs of water damage, contact someone to thoroughly examine your roof immediately. Water causes damage to the sheetrock in your ceiling and walls, rots the wooden frame that supports your home, enables mold and insects to infiltrate your attic and creates a myriad of other issues that may cost up to five or six figures in repairs even in a modest Dallas-Fort Worth area home.
You Should Also Conduct an Exterior Roof Inspection
After you’ve inspected your roof’s interior, it’s also a good idea to examine it from the outside. What signs of exterior damage should you look for? Lifted, missing, cracked or buckling shingles, or shingles with divots or signs of algae growth, shingle pebbles puddled in your drains or damaged flashing are all signs that your roof’s exterior has been compromised.
Inspecting the interior of the roof is important because it will help you detect roof damage that has already reached the inside of your roofing structure, while an exterior inspection will help identify simple roof damage before it becomes more serious.
If you suspect you need a new roof in Texas, don’t read another blog post or take another step until you read my book, The Informed Consumer’s Guide to a Successful Roofing Project.
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