How To Avoid Early Roof Replacements

With the cost of living always on the rise, learning everything we can about how to avoid expensive surprises, like an early roof replacement, can make all the difference in the world. If you're in Dallas, the climate can age your roof much quicker than it would if your house were located where there's less humidity.

Although we can't do anything about the humidity and high UV damage our roofs are exposed to, there are still some things you can do to avoid an early roof replacement. Before we get into how Dallas homeowners can avoid an early roof replacement, let's talk about what early means for those located in our climate.

What Qualifies as An Early Roof Replacement

As a Dallas roofing contractor, we're often asked exactly what early means in terms of replacing a roof. When a large area of shingles need to be replaced and the rest of the shingles have been aging, it will often make more financial sense to replace them all than to keep throwing money at repairing it. Early means replacing the shingles before they would normally age. So that you understand how often roof replacements usually should occur, these are the average lifespans of common types of roofs:

• Asphalt shingles: 15 to 20+ years
• Metal roofing: 15 to 40+ years
• Flat roofing: 10 to 25 years
• Concrete and clay tile roofing: 20+ years

Keep in mind that the climate in your area will make a difference in how long your roof lasts, as well as how much maintenance it receives throughout the years.

Hail storms are a common cause of major roof damage. If a surprise hail storm were to hit your area, you can bet there will be plenty of early roof replacements going on. Hail is usually big enough to destroy asphalt shingles, which is the most common roof type. With storms that last long enough and cover enough area, several roofs within a single neighborhood will need to be replaced way before they are due.

Maintenance To Help You Avoid Early Roof Replacements

With good maintenance, you can prevent roof leaks. Choose a reliable roofing company to help you maintain the roof. Here are some ways you can prevent common roof issues:

• Schedule a roof inspection- A regular roof inspection will uncover problems that turn into leaks. Even the simple things like loose nails or separated flashing can cause significant water damage inside your home.
• Check the plumbing and HVAC condensation lines in the attic- A leak could be coming from a condensation line clog or a plumbing leak. Other common problems are related to ventilation systems. Make sure they operate properly. The roof inspection will involve checking the attic ventilation and inspecting for moisture problems.
• Keep the gutters clean- Avoid roof leaks by cleaning the gutters regularly so they do not form clogs.
• Keep debris off the roof- Don't let tree debris stay on the roof. The debris will get caught near the flashing areas around projections and along the valleys of the roof. While roofing materials are waterproof, they do age and do get damaged by rotting debris over time.