Are April showers raining on your parade? Or on your roof? Leaky roofs can devastate your home and bank account if you don’t take some preventive steps now. The question is: do you need a roof replacement?

Inspect your roof

The first step to a healthy roof and a dry home is early detection. It’s much simpler to remedy a problem area than incur the cost of repairing a leak, which often results in much more significant damage. GAF Certified Roofing recommends that you have a professional check your roof twice a year, let’s say spring and fall. We’ll take a look on the inside and move outside for any problem signs.

What to look for?

If you notice a crack or issue in your ceiling, this needs to be corrected immediately. As for the roof, look for any signs of excess moisture such as mold, mildew, or moss or splits in the wood. Don’t wait and see—call a professional.

Specific areas to inspect and what to look for on the inside:

• Check the highest ceilings in your home—climb into you attic space with a flashlight
• Feel for any wetness, moisture, or leaking in the attic insulation
• Look for water damage along the ceiling and walls—such as dark spots and trails or other discoloration
• Do you have a sagging roof deck? If so, your roof is not in tip-top shape. In fact, your roof has suffered long-term water damage and needs professional help
• Does the light show through the roof boards? If light can shine through, so can rain and other moisture

What to inspect on the outside of your home

For safety reasons, the outside of your home may require the help of a professional. You’ll need someone to climb up there and check eaves, gutters, and shingles for aging or wear and tear, and the overall condition of your roof.

Here are signs of weakness:

• Cracked, torn, bald, or missing shingles—did the wind blow off those shingles or is there a greater problem going on?
• Mold, moisture, or rot that show up as soft spots or discoloration
• Does your roof get a lot of sun? This weather can cause old shingles to curl, which means they need to be replaced. Depending on where these curled shingles are on the roof makes a difference in potential leaking.
• Are your roof “tabs” intact?
• Are any materials loose around the chimneys, vents, or pipes? Any warping in the roof?

Should I repair my roof or replace it?

Depending on the situation, roof repairs are a reasonable solution. Let’s say you are missing a few shingles from high winds. Easy. But then of course you have the mismatched look, which most homeowners don’t like and can be disastrous for resale as it calls attention there even though you’ve remedied the problem.

More economical in the long term

Replacing your roof may behoove you for the long-term. Particularly if you have considerable repairs, since you are already paying a crew to come to your home and get on the roof, sometimes doing it all at once makes absolute sense. Also, you can choose the time of year to do this project rather than be subject to less ideal weather (and therefore higher costs) when a leak happens.

With so many variables at stake—such as roof material, severity of leak, extent of damage, need to repair, cost, and more—it’s often difficult for homeowners to make this decision on their own. Call a professional today and schedule an inspection if you’re not sure of your next course of action. Most importantly, rest assured that your home is leak free!