Roof damage can show up in many ways, including signs you may not even notice. How do you know if your roof needs repair or replacement?
This blog walks you through what to look for when inspecting your roof, including:
- Missing shingles, shakes, tiles, and other roofing elements, like flashing
- Changes to the roofing material, like cracking or chipping, that can lead to more damage
- Granule loss on asphalt shingles, which makes them less protective against weather
- Damage to the roof decking and possibly water leaking into the home's interior
- Sagging or drooping of the roof, especially under heavy loads like snow
If you're on the fence about a roof replacement, this article also offers six other reasons a roof remodel with stone-coated metal roofing could benefit your wallet and your home's appearance.
1. Missing Roofing Materials or Other Components
Roofing blown off by high winds.
Wind damage is the most common cause of missing roof components. What kinds of weather bring high winds?
- Tropical storms
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Monsoons
- Northeasters
You'll also see unusual wind phenomena, like dust devils and derechos, ripping off roofing, as well as strong summer thunderstorms where wind often precedes thunder, lightning, and rainfall.
Older roofs and improperly installed roofs are most susceptible to wind damage. You'll typically see areas where shingles and shakes are missing, and you might find them around your yard after a storm. Any time a breeze picks up, you might also hear loose pieces flapping above.
During major wind events, roof uplift can occur. This is when pressure differentials make it easy for wind to peel a larger section of roofing off the home. These types of winds can also remove heavier roofing, like ceramic or concrete tiles.
Inspect your roof after serious storms (or hire a roofing contractor to do it), especially if you notice roofing material on the ground. Loose roofing material or bare spots make the roof even more vulnerable to damage in the next storm. Check for other signs of roof damage, like loose or missing ridge vents and flashing.
Flashing is used at edges and joints to prevent water intrusion. You'll find it along the roofline and where your roofing material meets:
- Flues
- Vents
- Chimneys
- Dormers
- Skylights
Wind vs. ice dam damage
While inspecting your roof, did you find damage to the flashing along the bottom roofline but nowhere else? If you live in a cold, snowy climate, this is likely due to ice damming, not wind.
Ice dams form along the bottom edge of the roof when water runs down the roof and freezes there. This happens when snow or ice on the roof thaws during warm days and refreezes at night when temperatures drop. It's more common in homes with poor attic insulation or when the attic has been converted to a heated living space.
Ice dams can damage your flashing and roofing materials along the roof edge. They can also damage your gutters, eaves, and soffits, and the home's interior if water is forced inside with nowhere to go. This typically shows up along the ceiling edge and the upper parts of walls.
Better protection from wind and ice damage
How do you prevent this when you install a new roof? Choose a roofing material designed to withstand extreme weather. Look for roofing warrantied against uplift in hurricane-force winds, like those experienced in Miami-Dade, Florida.
Also, choose a roofing product with high reflectivity and a hollow inner core. This helps regulate roof surface temperatures. It will discourage melting that causes ice dams. As a bonus, it can lower summer cooling costs by up to 25%.
2. Cracked, Chipped, or Warped Roofing Materials
Hail, aging, and moisture buildup
Say you're checking your roof and find shingles, tiles, or shakes that are cracked and chipped. Or they're warped, sometimes in a way called "cupping" by roofing professionals. What does that mean?
Several factors can cause this type of damage:
- Hail or storm debris impact
- Long-term moisture exposure
- Aging combined with weather
Leaving a damaged roof unrepaired can accelerate aging and significantly shorten a roof's lifespan. This can also lead to cracking, chipping, and warping over time.
There are a couple of ways to protect your roof from this damage. First, make any roof repairs right away. Otherwise, you risk standing water and future weather events causing more damage.
If you have widespread damage and your roof isn't worth repairing, install a roof that's resistant to wind and wind-driven rain, as described above. Plus, choose roofing material with a Class A impact resistance rating—the highest rating given by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Make sure your roofing carries a warranty against hail damage from hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter. Some roofing products are even warrantied against damage from 2.5-inch hailstones, which are as large as a tennis ball.
3. Granule Loss
Shingles vs. stone coating
New asphalt shingles are covered with small granules that give the surface a rough texture. This helps make them more weather-resistant.
But over time, these granules can wear off, in a process known as degranulation. The shingles will look and feel smoother. This makes the roof more susceptible to weather damage, especially in areas that experience extreme weather.
You could replace the roof with new shingles. But a stone-coated metal roof will last longer. The manufacturing process makes it virtually impossible for the mineral granules to come off, ensuring they'll do their job for decades.
4. Damage to the Roof Decking
Threats to the home's interior
When damage compromises your roofing material, weather can start wreaking havoc on the layers underneath. Once the fabric underlayment beneath the surface material is damaged, the decking can also be damaged. This is the wooden layer closest to the roof structure.
When the decking is damaged, you've lost significant protection for the home's interior. You may see, hear, or smell water leaks in more widespread locations than those caused by loose flashing. In addition to dripping inside, you might see ceiling stains or notice musty smells.
From the outside, you'll see holes in the decking or rotting wood showing through open spaces in the roofing material. You may also notice mold or plant growth on the decking.
It's time to remodel the roof. The old roofing material will have to be torn off, and the decking will have to be replaced where it's damaged.
5. Sagging or Dips in the Roof
Flimsy and moisture-soaked roofing
If the underlying roof structure is sound, sagging is caused by flimsy or old roofing that has lost its firmness. Dipping can also result from old roofing that becomes saturated with moisture.
Roofing material should be sturdy but lightweight enough to withstand snow, ice, and rain without sagging. It should also allow precipitation to run off rather than soak in.
Metal roofing is a great solution here. It's surprisingly lightweight but can support heavy snowfalls and solar panels without reinforcing the roof's basic structure.
Other Reasons to Consider a Roof Remodel
In addition to replacing a damaged roof, there are lots of other good reasons to plan a roof remodel, particularly with a metal roof:
- Wildfire protection - Metal is noncombustible, and you'll find metal roofing with a Class A fire rating, which is the highest possible.
- Insurance advantages - Metal roofing often qualifies for discounts, while insurance carriers are dropping coverage for other roofing types.
- Curb appeal - You can get metal roofing in an array of colors and in profiles that mimic shingles, shakes, and tiles.
- Reduced maintenance - You're tired of the cleaning for moss, lichens, and mushrooms that come with traditional roofing.
- Durability and longevity - Metal roofing lasts decades with proper maintenance, so you won't have to install another roof.
Replace Your Damaged Roof with DECRA by IKO
Is it time for a new roof? You don't have to guess what a DECRA stone-coated metal roof will look like. Use our online visualization tool to see how beautiful a DECRA by IKO metal roof will be once it's installed. You get all the weather protection and financial benefits discussed above, plus the curb appeal you crave, no matter your home's style.
