How to know if your asphalt shingle roof is defective…

There are a few ways you can identify if your asphalt shingle roof is failing. Read on here to find out how.

1. Collection of granules in the gutters. As your roof ages, the granules loosen due to time as well as the outside elements. In addition to finding them laying in the gutter, you may find them washing out of your downspouts. Some granule loss is normal, but as your roof ages, more and more will be evident.
2. Leaky or clogged gutters. Leaking gutters are usually noticed by water coming through joints or seams. Over time the sealant that was used on them during installation breaks down and can cause the gutters to leak. Clogged gutters are another issue that you can see, especially if you are in an area that has a lot of trees. It is important to make sure that you keep your gutters and downspouts free and clear of leaves & debris to ensure that the water is flowing properly. The last thing you want is the gutters backing up and causing water to get inside your home.
3. Broken, Cracked or curling shingles. Over time and with the outside elements, your shingles will break down and can cause them to break or crack. These two things are usually pretty evident if you look up at your roof and see that you are missing shingles. Curling shingles usually happens over time too, mainly due to the outside elements, extreme temperatures cause this issue as well.
4. Missing Shingles. This will be something that is very noticeable if you take a look at your roof from the ground. You do want to make sure that you take care of that right away to ensure that water does not get into the decking, which will cause a leak on the interior of your home.
5. Hail Damage. Hail damage on your roof can be a tricky thing. Depending on the size of the hail hits you sometimes can see them from the ground, and you sometimes cannot. Sometimes hail damage can only be seen by a trained eye. The best thing to do if you think that you may have hail damage is to call a trained professional and have them come out and assess your roof.
6. Water Damage on interior ceiling or walls. The most telltale sign you have a roof leak is to spot this on the interior of your home. Usually once a leak reached the interior of your home, it is pretty serious, and you should call a roofing professional right away to come out and diagnose the problem. If left go, this can cause very serious issues with mold etc.
7. Problems in the attic. Sometimes you will see the boards on the underside of your roof start to rot, that is mainly due to improper ventilation or an ongoing roof leak. In the event that you notice the underside of your roof deck rotting, splitting or turning black. The best thing to do is call a licensed roofing professional to come out and assess the issue for you.
8. The extent of shingle damage. If you notice that you do have shingle damage on your roof, leave it to the professionals. They are trained to see things that you may not, after all, they do this all day every day!

If you are in need of a professional licensed roofing contractor, give Middle Creek Roofing a call at 717.949.2414. We would be happy to come out and provide you with a FREE estimate for your roofing project!