Sometimes this can be difficult to know. But here is a short list of things to look for:
- Curled shingles – edges lifting
- Cracked shingles – splits that go through to the deck below
- Loose granules – they show in eaves and on the ground
- Cracked or missing caulking – usually around vents, pipes, sidewalls etc.
- Missing shingles – wind and age are the culprits here
- Valleys – usually shows up as cracks or curling in this area
- Flashing – this is the metal at dormers and sidewalls, it may be missing, or the caulking cracked
- Water entry – is the obvious one, but not always – sometimes it shows up as peeling paint, a dark spot or a damp odor. Quite often it is sporadic which usually means it is wind driven and directional (more on this in a future article)
- Missing vents or turbine caps – sometimes the top literally blows off allowing water entry
- And finally – “I don’t like colour or style of shingle”, time to replace!
While there are many other more technical things to look for – these ten are things a home owner can look for without climbing on their roof. Safety must be foremost in your mind. When in doubt call an expert, who has all the safety equipment to perform an evaluation on your home.