Checking Shingles for Roof Issues Tips

 With all the snow we’ve been getting this winter in Maryland and Washington, DC, you might not be able to see your roof at all. While this should be somewhat comforting—snow looks much better on your roof than inside your home—it can also hide the signs of wear and tear on your shingles.

Shingles serve as a first line of defense, and easily the most important one. They’re much less costly to replace than what lies beneath. Here are a few ways your shingles might tell you it’s time to have your roof looked at for a replacement or repair:

They’re gone.  Missing shingles leave gaps in your home open to the elements. You should check your roof for missing shingles after high winds or a particularly damaging storm. Whether a repair or a full replacement is in order depends on how many shingles are missing. A heavily damaged shingle is often no better than one that’s long gone.

They’re changing shape.  As shingles withstand summer after summer of intense heat and exposure to the elements, they will begin curling. Poor attic ventilation can cause extreme heat to radiate through the roof, curling shingles. This is not just a sign that your roof is getting older—curled edges make shingles more likely to be damaged or torn off by wind.

They’re wearing down.  The tiny granules on your roof’s shingles protect it from the Sun, but they also erode away over time, especially when poor drainage diverts rushing water over a particular area of your roof. A wealth of loose granules in your gutter is a good sign that your roof is nearing the time for a replacement. Shingles stripped of granules are darker in color and will appear as a black spot on your roof.

There are many more possible signs that point to a bad or aging roof, but the shingles are a good place to start, and often the first sign of a problem. If you live in Maryland, be sure to keep an eye on your shingles, and call Central Roofing & Siding Company before a few bad shingles turns into one very bad roof.