Does My Tile Roof Need to Be Replaced?

Are you noticing that there are more than a few problems with your roof? If you have leaks in several places, terrible air circulation in your attic, and are noticing some cracked, damaged, or even missing tiles in multiple locations, you’re probably facing one of the toughest questions that a homeowner will ever have to face: is it time to completely replace my roof or can I simply repair it and keep it going a little while longer.

Let’s face it: replacing your roof is a huge expense, and it’s not one that most people look forward to having to take on. A new roof costs thousands of dollars, and that’s a lot of money that many people don’t exactly have sitting around. So, logically, you want to get the most you can out of the roof that’s over your head already before having to fully replace it. But how do you know when it’s the right time to actually make the jump and get a full replacement? To help you make that determination, here are a few questions you can answer about your roof and what they say about whether you should consider replacing or repairing it.

Roof Age

The first and most important question as to whether you should repair or replace is how old the roof over your head is. If your roof is still within its normal average service life, then you can probably get away with repairing it, especially if the issues aren’t seriously jeopardizing your roof’s integrity. Generally, your roof’s average service life depends on the type of material it’s constructed from—clay or concrete tiles can usually last 20 to 30+ years, and potentially even longer as long as they’re well-maintained and small problems aren’t allowed to sit and grow.

That being said, just because your roof is within its expected service life doesn’t mean that you can always repair the issues you’re having. Roofs which receive little to no attention, are not repaired promptly when problems form, and generally have been neglected for the duration of their life are usually far less prone to reaching their full lifespan potential and will need replacement early. In other words, take into consideration what kind of repairs and maintenance work you have done on your roof in the past when you consider how old it is. If your roof is well-maintained and reaching its expected lifespan, you may be able to repair it again, but you may not be able to if your roof has received little to no attention.

Visible Condition

A brief inspection of your roof can tell you whether or not you should consider replacing or repairing your roof. First, take a quick look from the outside, which you can usually do from the curb right in front of your home. Do you see any tiles which are cracked, badly damaged, or even missing? These are signs of a serious weakness in your roof that could be jeopardizing the materials underneath. If this kind of damage is in several spots, then you probably need to replace your roof, especially if these spots have been exposed for several months and seen rainfall.

However, if you don’t see any signs of serious damage, take a look your attic. If you notice any wet spots or areas where water has leaked through during the last rainfall, then odds are you have a leak. One or two leaks aren’t necessarily a sign that you have to replace your whole roof, mind you, but leaks in several key spots could be disastrous. Pay attention for any areas which seem to be constantly wet, or potentially spots where mold colonies have taken root and started to spread. These areas are usually the result of large leaks that will need some serious repair work. In fact, larger mold colonies usually are a sign that your roof needs replaced, especially if you also spot areas where sunlight is pouring in from the outside.

Future Plans

There’s one last thing to consider when deciding whether or not you wish to replace your roof: are you selling your home anytime soon? Potential homebuyers will be extremely concerned about the condition of your roof, and nothing kills a deal or drives away interested buyers quicker than finding out the roof over a home needs significant work or replacement. Even if the home is priced extremely low and positioned to sell, you’ll find it really difficult to sell your home if the roof is in bad shape.

However, investing in a roof replacement or performing major repairs can actually increase your home’s value and generate more buzz from potential buyers. A new roof or one that has been recently repaired is a huge positive for potential buyers and one that usually draws a lot more people to come look at your home and see if it’s right for them. If you want to sell your home faster, repairing or replacing your roof can go a long way towards generating more buzz and fetching you a better price in the process.

Call the Phoenix roofers at Lyons Roofing today at (520) 447-2522 to request more information roof repairs and replacements as well as to schedule a roofing inspection for your home!

Categories