Home & Garden: Five signs of roof wearPublished Feb. 26, 2012

Should a roof exhibit any signs of decay, homeowners should address those issues immediately to avoid further damage. Metro Creative Services

Metro Creative Services

Replacing a roof is a costly venture few homeowners look forward to. According to Remodeling magazine’s 2010-11 “Cost vs. Value” report, the national average cost of a roof replacement is nearly $22,000, a costly endeavor considering the tenuous nature of the economy.

What’s more, homeowners who choose more upscale roofing materials can expect to spend almost $40,000 on their roofs.

Such costs make it no small wonder that many homeowners fear the dreaded diagnosis that their home needs a new roof.

While there’s little homeowners can do to reduce the cost of a roof replacement, there are warning signs homeowners can look for that might indicate a roof replacement is on the horizon.

Recognition of these signs can help homeowners be more financially prepared should the day come when the roof needs to be replaced.

• Algae — If the roof has lots of dark streaks and stains clinging to it, that is likely algae, which can grow on the roof for quite awhile.

Algae does not necessarily do any damage to a roof, but it does do some damage to a home’s physical appearance, as algae on the roof is not very pleasing to the eye.

Algae is most often found on the roofs of homes located in climates that have warm, humid summers. If algae is a problem on your roof, spray washing with a mixture of water and bleach can effectively remove it.

• Buckling shingles —Like algae, buckling shingles are another unsightly problem on a roof. But buckling shingles are more than just an eyesore, they actually might indicate significant problems. When shingles buckle, that’s typically because hot air from the attic is forcing the shingles away from the home. Continued...

Buckling shingles also indicate that the roof is poorly ventilated, which can take years off the roof’s life expectancy while driving up home cooling costs along the way.

• Granule loss — Granule loss is typically a byproduct of normal shingle wear and tear that results from inclement weather, such as hail. Older roofs might experience granule loss, but granule loss can also occur on a new roof if a defective roofing product was used.

Any granule loss, even if slight, should be addressed, as the side effects of granule loss include a weakened roof and leaking. If granule loss is not addressed, the consequences could be severe the next time a storm occurs.

• Mold — Unlike the warning signs already discussed, mold is not visible on the outside of the home. Instead, homeowners should look in the attic of a home to see if there is any mold growth.

If there is, the roof is likely leaking, and the health risks of mold growth in a home are substantial. Mold is not necessarily easy to detect, so a professional inspection might be in order if mold growth is suspected. If a professional determines mold is, in fact, present, then the mold will need to be removed and all options, including a roof replacement, must be considered to keep mold from coming back.

• Roof rot — Perhaps the most discouraging sign a homeowner can see on his or her roof is roof rot. Roof rot appears when a roof is in considerable decay and, if not addressed, its consequences can stretch far beyond the roof, damaging other parts of the home thanks in large part to water getting through the roof.

If roof rot is either not noticed or just ignored, it won’t take long for water to get through the roof and blaze a destructive path through the rest of the home.

Homeowners might fear a full roof replacement because of the cost associated with such a project. But if ignored, problems with a roof could eventually prove far more costly than the price of replacing the roof.

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Home & Garden: Five signs of roof wearPublished Feb. 26, 2012