10 Signs Your Roof Is In Danger
Is your roof up to the job of protecting your home?
By Donald Lowe
Roof History
All things being fair, an average roof in the UK will last approximately 40 to 50 years before it will require replacement. When the roof starts to get to the end of its functional life, a few warning signs may start to present themselves, such as notable dark patches, curling of shingles and multiple missing tiles. If your roof is older than 25 years, an inspection by a professional should be carried out to ascertain its condition.
Missing tiles
The weather plays a big role in the life of your roof and is often the primary cause for missing or damaged tiles, either through direct action, such as the wind lifting and blowing tiles off the roof or indirect, such as blowing neighbouring branches into the roof. After such damage has occurred, it is wise to have your roof inspected and repairs as soon as possible as the potential for unseen damage and water ingress is high.
Internal Water Damage
Water can find its way into your home due to multiple reasons and the source should be located as soon as possible to reduce further damage. It’s common for the roofs underlay to deteriorate over time and allow water to penetrate or flashing around chimneys or vents to break down, allowing the ingress of water. Sometimes water penetration can go unnoticed for a significant period of time if the leak is only small and is being soaked up by loft insulation, so any sign of water staining on ceilings or walls should be investigated immediately.
Dark Areas
In relation to shingled roofs, when the protective granules start to fall off, it results in areas that appear darker than others. Losing the granules is an early warning sign the shingles are starting to break down and should warrant an inspection. Dark patches could also be a result of significant algae growth, which can work its way into the roof structure, leading to a source of water ingress.
“It’s one of those things that doesn’t even enter your mind until something goes wrong with it, you just assume it’s fine and carry on”
Granules in gutter
If your roof utilises bitumen based shingles, as they age they start to shed their protective granular coating, which builds up in the water channels and ground around your home, giving you an indication they are starting to reach the end of their useful life. Whilst a small amount is expected, a roof inspection should be carried out when these granules start to appear in excessive amounts.
Exposed nail heads
The wind causes tiles to shift slightly, which can result in the nail heads lifting, which allows for greater movement in the tile, further lifting the nail head until eventually the tile comes away completely. Any lifted heads should be checked to ensure the tile isn’t damaged and secured.
Sagging
A sagging roof is a strong indicator that your roof is in need of serious attention. Generally due to the structure underneath starting to give way, either from being subjected to too much weight, improper construction or accidental damage. A sagging roof could potentially lead to collapse and should be investigated as soon as possible.
Damaged Flashing
The flashing is what seals the edges of a structure which protrudes through the roof, such as a chimney or vent. Typically constructed from a non-permeable material, flashing can degrade over time, eventually going brittle and cracking and even breaking off. Once weakened, flashing can easily become an entry point for water penetration and particular attention should be paid to these areas of the roof when carrying out inspections.
Increased Heating Bills
An indirect indicator your roof isn’t performing correctly is rising heating costs with no other reasonable explanation. When moisture from a leaky roof finds its way into your loft, it can quickly soak the insulation and prevent it from doing its job properly, causing your home to retain less heat and heating bills increase. If this occurs during warmer months, it can be left unnoticed for long periods of time, so particular attention to heating costs should be monitored when the cold weather hits.
Missing Mortar
The junctions and ridges of a roof are commonly set in with mortar, a form of non-soluble concrete used to seal the tops of roofs from the rain. Over time, mortar can crack and gaps can appear leading to rapid degradation due to freeze/thaw action, allowing ridge tiles to come lose and fall from the roof. Any signs of damaged mortar should be inspected and repointed if appropriate.
Excessive Moss
Whilst not considered an immediate danger to your roof, moss and other surface contaminants can also have a large impact on the failure rate of tiles. Moss holds onto water and effects the roofs ability to shed water effectively. Retaining moisture can allow penetration of the inner skin of tiles, which in turn allows frost action to occur. This can be easily solved by keeping your roof free from moss and other contaminants.
