When determining if your home needs repairs, there are several factors to consider. The first thing should be the age of the house. How long has it actually been standing? Chances are if it was built over a hundred years ago, as many of the homes in Omaha were, it will definitely need a roof inspection and then shortly after, a full replacement of your asphalt roof. Just like anything, different types of roofs have a certain amount of years in their lifetime that they are expected to last. Shingle roofs only have a lifespan of around twenty years versus slate tile roofs which can last for around 150 years. However, even a roof with a life expectancy of 150 years can start wearing down early. No matter what quality of materials it was made out of or what it was built with or whether it has a lifespan of 200, every roof should be inspected for safety and problems regularly to keep it properly maintained.
If you take a walk on the roof and notice that the boards don’t feel hard underneath your feet like they should, there could be a problem. You might feel like the boards are soft and are exhibiting a bounce like one that would occur when walking on a trampoline. This is almost always a sure indicator that the boards are growing weaker from moisture build-up. This can be extremely dangerous and requires attention immediately.
If you notice that the shingles are curling or showing signs of cracking and wear, it could mean they are nearing their lifespan. However, it could also just mean that when the shingles were put down, that they weren’t put down right. Maybe there weren’t enough nails used in the shingling process or they weren’t aligned correctly by a roofing contractor.
The easiest way to tell whether or not you’ll need to replace the roof soon or not should be the outward appearance. Is it starting to look old and worn out? Are there missing tiles or shingles in different places? Are there missing tiles and do you know notice that it looks like its trying to cave in on one side or the other? Does it appear that it is accumulating more and more water damage in different places? If so, this warrants further inspection either by yourself or by a roofing contractor.
The cost of replacing a roof or even giving it a quick repair can quickly add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This mainly occurs when whatever problem that ails the roof is not caught early enough in time. This is why it is important to always inspect your roof up close and with your own eyes at least three or four times a year to ensure there are no problems occurring that you are not seeing. Hire a professional to make any necessary repairs that need to be completed. You don’t want to risk making the problem worse by just winging it and trying to fix the problem yourself just because you wanted to save money.