How To Know When Your Porch Roof Needs Replacing
Your porch roof plays an invaluable role in enhancing the curbside appeal of your home. It’s also a vital part of the overall structural integrity of the entire building. Thus, when it starts deteriorating, not only will your property look worse for the wear, but it will also be prone to moisture damages and many other problems. Warped, missing, and excessively old shingles can leave your porch and all surrounding building elements subject to rot, pest infestation, and leaks among many other things. To keep your porch protected and looking its best, it’s important to know when its roof needs replaced.
Tell-tale Signs
There are a few tell-tale signs that your porch roof has reached the end of its lifespan. In addition to missing or damaged singles, look for:
- Noticeable sagging
- Unsightly bulges
- Discoloration
Whether enclosed or unenclosed, a porched roof should at the very least, provide ample overhead protection from the rain and other elements. If you can’t sit on your porch with a hot cup of coffee or tea and bask in the natural ambiance of a light seasonal rain without being hit on the head and shoulders by falling droplets, you have a problem. Moreover, much like the shingles on the roof that covers the primary building structure, the shingles on your porch roof should not be releasing their granules. If you find shingle granules near the downspouts, in the porch roof gutters, or on the porch itself, this is a sure indication that a roof replacement is in order.
Several Signs That Your Porch Roof Is Seriously Deteriorating
Bloating or bulging at any portion of your porch roof means that severe water damage has already occurred. The time for replacing a few missing shingles has long passed, and this portion of your home’s roof is ready for a full-on tear-down. Water erodes and weakens the overall integrity of porch roofs until they begin bloating and buckling under their own weight. If you leave this problem untended, it can eventually affect the roofing substrate, the porch itself, and depending upon the layout of your home, the roof on the entire building. Dips and bulges can also indicate wood rot beneath the roofing. Rotting wood at your porch can ultimately lead to a roofing collapse, irrespective of how old the roof is or its level of integrity. Thus, if you’ve spied noticeable bulges and bloating, schedule roof replacement services right away. Dramatic changes in the shape of a porch roofing often indicate equally dramatic changes in the underlying, supporting architecture.
Curling and bent shingles are sometimes the result of hail damage and wind storms. Curling shingles that are relatively new can also indicate poor installation. This tends to happen when roofers fail to install a proper underlay to prevent moisture from seeping under the shingles and into the substrate. If you’re pinched for cash and need a quick fix, this is a problem that you may be able to temporarily resolve on your own with a caulk gun and a quality bituminous sealant. You can also contact the original roofer to correct the faulty workmanship or hire a more competent one to get the job done right. However, the release of shingle debris in the form of granules is almost always age-related. Old, curled shingles should never be corrected with adhesives. They mean that the porch roofing is no longer able to serve its function and must be replaced.
Dark spots on your porch roofing are a sign that shingles are starting to lose their granules. In some instances, these spots can also indicate the development of roof mold. Roof mold gradually undermines the integrity of all building materials that it affects, and it can also enter the home and cause respiratory illnesses and other health problems for building residents. Professional roofers can clear these growths away without causing shingle damage, and without damaging any other building features.
When you suspect the need for a roof replacement, take the time to check out the roof valleys. These are the areas where two roof slopes intersect. If the roof valleys are pulling apart or completely broken, your porch roofing has passed the need for repairs and should be replaced.
If you need help determining the age and condition of your roofing and need to have repairs or a full-on replacement performed, you can contact us for an accurate diagnosis and superior workmanship. Call us now at 913-850-6556.