How can you tell if your roof needs to be replaced?
Short answer. Your roof likely needs replacing when it is near or past about 20 years in Georgia, shows widespread granule loss, curling or cracking, leaks in more than one place, or has storm damage across several slopes. If the decking is sagging or soft in multiple areas, replacement is almost certain.
Repair or replace: the deciding factors
- Is the damage local or everywhere? One cracked pipe boot is a repair. Granule loss on every slope is wear out.
- How old is it? Asphalt roofs in Georgia's heat often reach the end somewhere between 15 and 25 years, sooner with poor ventilation. See how long a roof lasts in Georgia.
- Will repairs match? Older shingles fade and new ones rarely blend, and brittle shingles crack when a roofer lifts them to make a repair.
- Is there hail or wind damage? Storm damage across slopes may make replacement an insurance question rather than an out of pocket one.
Signs you can see
- Bald spots, heavy granules in gutters.
- Curled edges or cupped centers.
- Cracks running across tabs.
- Missing shingles after moderate wind.
- Stains on ceilings or in the attic, especially in more than one place.
When decking needs replacing too
Sagging between rafters, bounce when walked, delaminating plywood, or dark rot in the attic mean some sheets must come off with the shingles. Roofers replace only the bad sheets, priced per sheet. More on decking in OSB vs plywood decking, and a fuller list of warning signs in signs you need a new roof.