Do you know how old your home´s roof is? It is likely not something you ask yourself unless you are thinking about when deciding on whether a repair or replacement is the best option for you. Here´s how you can tell the age of residential roofing and when the proper time is to replace it.
How Can I Tell The Age Of A Roof?
To find out the age of a roof can either be accomplished by following a paper trail or by looking for signs of aging such as wear and tear of original building materials. The age of the roof could be noted on a home´s original building plans, a real estate inspection report, or a building permit. You may also look for residential roofing deterioration signs of weakening framing or curling shingles.
3 Ways To Tell The Age Of Residential Roofing
- Have A Residential Roofing Inspection Done
The most accurate way to tell the age of a roof is by having a residential roofing inspection done. Roof inspectors check structural components, materials, and signs of damage or wear-and-tear to estimate the age of a roof. From issues like sagging to masonry and venting, a home´s composition can provide the most reliable insights into how old a structure is.
Other issues like poor workmanship, flashing penetration, missing or maturing shingles, moss growth, sagging, sheathing wood rot, and gutter system conditioning can all infer if a roof is near the end of its lifespan. An interior inspection can also show signs of leaking, staining, decay, or mold, which further signifies that a roof is old and needs to be replaced.
- Look For Building Permit History
Massachusetts requires property owners to apply for a building permit to build, remove, modify, or reconstruct a roof. Whether your roof was built, replaced, or renovated, there will be a paper trail with the city or state of Massachusetts to tell you how old your roof is. You should be able to contact your local permit provider and ask for a copy of the license.
- Look For Signs Of Aging
Signs of wear-and-tear, while less accurate than a roof inspection or a building permit receipt, will tell you that your roof is aging out and needs to be replaced. This is where a roofing specialist´s experience can be of great value because if a roof is older but not close to the lifespan expectancy, you might just need a roof repair rather than a new replacement.
The roof is one of the most important structural components in a residential building as it protects everything and everyone under it. An aging roof is a sign that things are not working as accurately as they are designed to, but it also doesn´t infer that you must replace a roof if it is old or damaged. Calling us for an inspection and free estimate is the simplest way to figure out the right solution.
North Shore Roofing has helped Greater Boston property owners to replace roofs for three decades. Call (978) 977-3816 or visit us at https://www.facebook.com/NorthShoreRoofingMA to learn more.
