Roof replacement is a costly expense but when you live in a place like Tampa, where the weather tends to be extreme, you cannot avoid it. When a roof has reached its expiry date, it is inevitable. However, some weather conditions can shorten the life of your roof prematurely. In such cases, you must detect the signs before it is too late.
• Shingles
1. Curled and buckled shingles
Tampa heat is intense enough to affect your shingles. As a result, they curl at the edges and sometimes buckle in the middle. This is a slow process and all the while water will be seeping into the inner part of your roof rotting the underlayment and deck which will cause serious damage to your roof. This will make a roof replacement necessary.
2. Missing shingles
Tampa is notorious for its hurricanes and flash storms. The strong wind is likely to lift your shingles and eventually blow them off. By the time the weather calms down a good portion of your shingles would have disappeared damaging your roof. Extremely violent weather would leave you with no choice but a roof replacement.
3. Erosion of shingles
Heat and the UV rays of the sun are detrimental to the health of your shingles. This will damage the tar and loosen the grains on them. Wind and rain will sweep them away further causing the shingles to crack. Hail storms also do similar damages. This ages the shingles prematurely causing roof leakage in Tampa. This will make a roof replacement necessary.
4. Bio growth cleaning
During the rainy season, algal and lichen growth is common. This, besides being an eyesore, may cause deterioration of shingles. So the homeowners are forced to clean them often. Each cleaning will displace or loosen a few grains or cause slight damage to the edges of the shingles. After many cleaning events, this will be a vulnerable spot and water seeps in without your knowledge. The damage will not be discovered until it is too late.
5. Moss and mildew
Unlike algae, moss and mildew affect shingles’ texture and deteriorate them. Premature rotting of shingles is the result. When quite a few shingles are affected a roof replacement becomes imperative.
• Other Roof Issues
6. Flashing
When the flashings along the valleys and around the chimney are damaged seriously, water will damage the deck and underlayment beyond repair.
7. Roof valley
A roof valley is the portion of the roof which is affected by rain. Water flows along the valley. This will cause leaks. This again is a very slow and often an unnoticed issue, which will eventually create havoc.
8. Overlaying
This is a repairing strategy whereby an old roof is covered entirely or partially with a second layer of shingles. This serves a short term relief but often results in serious damages a while later. So the homeowner will be forced to tear down everything and replace the roof.
• More Visible Signs
9. Discoloration and falling off of the ceiling
When you see patches and discoloration on your ceiling, it often shows that your roof had been leaking for quite a while. Sometimes a portion of the ceiling may fall off. So a professional will suggest a roof replacement.
10. Sagging roof
If you notice sagging in a portion of the roof it is a sure sign that you need a replacement. This often happens with a roof at the end of its service life.