Your roof works hard every day (and night!) to protect you and your family from Georgia’s searing summer heat, hail storms, fierce thunderstorms, plus winter’s cold, snow, and ice. But short of a catastrophic roof failure or leak, what are the signs that it’s time for a new roof?
At Freeland Painting, we do much more than paint houses, commercial buildings, and multifamily communities. We also perform gentle roof washing, repair roof leaks, and when your roof comes to the end of its useful life—typically 15 to 25 years in the Atlanta area—we perform total roof replacement.
If your roof is aging ungracefully and you’re starting to wonder when you’ll need to replace it, here’s how to tell when it’s time for a new roof:
1. Visible Drips or Leaks
If water is dripping down onto your furniture, floors, and head, it’s time for a roof leak repair, and possibly, a new roof. If your roof is less than 10 years old, it could just be chimney flashing damage or a cracked pipe boot causing the leak—which Freeland Painting can repair. However, with age or wear and tear from Atlanta’s epic storms, asphalt shingles weaken, allowing water to seep in. If you have water leaks on rainy days, call us!
2. Water Damage to Walls or Ceilings
Sometimes you notice a wet spot in your drywall or plaster immediately. Other times, you might see a dried, telltale watermark stain on your wall or ceiling. Or you go up in the attic for the first time in a few months and notice water damage, moist roof fascia boards, or wet insulation. If you see visible signs of water on your ceiling or walls, call Freeland Painting to determine the cause. While water damage stains can result from leaky appliances or burst pipes, watermarks in other areas may signal a roofing failure.
3. Loose, Missing, or Buckling Shingles
Asphalt roofing shingles have long lives, but also show predictable signs when they’re wearing out. If you notice cracked or missing shingles, that’s a sure sign. Sometimes shingles exposed to water for too long will curl or buckle. If you find a noticeable amount of asphalt granules while cleaning out the gutters, that’s another sign that shingles are degrading. Your shingles will give you signs that it’s time to call Freeland Painting for our roof replacement service.
4. Moss Growing on Your Roof
While a mossy roof is charming in fairytales, it’s a nightmare in real life! If moss or algae are growing on your roof, it means there is trapped moisture. Unfortunately, moss and algae don’t just cause unsightly dark streaks. They can cause severe damage that shortens your roof’s lifespan. Georgia is home to roof-eating algae named Gloeocapsa Magma. These hungry algae feast on the limestone component in shingles, put there to help absorb moisture. Once the limestone is gone, it prevents the roof shingles from thoroughly drying, which results in roof leaks. Check out Freeland Painting’s gentle roof washing service, which will eliminate moss and algae before they cause irreversible damage.
5. A Saggy Roof
A healthy roof keeps its shape, giving you a robust and straight roofline that repels water efficiently during rainstorms. If you notice that your roofline dips or curves, it’s a warning sign. Though it could be a framing problem, water-saturated shingles cause roofs to sag and dip. This is a serious roof issue: Address it immediately before the problem grows. The worst-case scenario, a roof cave-in, can be devastating.
6. Storm and Hail Damage
Severe storms—like we get every summer in Greater Atlanta—can be especially damaging to your home’s roof. Even a brand new roof likely can’t survive hurricane-force winds, tornados, or golf ball-sized hail! In addition, if your home is nestled among tall trees and they lose limbs in a storm, the result can be roof damage. If your home has seen its share of severe weather, it may be time for a roof repair or roof replacement.
7. Age
A typical asphalt shingle roof in the Atlanta area has a 15- to 25-year lifespan, and those years can fly by. Not sure when your roof was installed or replaced? For relatively new homes, roof age may be easy to calculate. For older homes, ask the previous owners, or look through the documentation provided at purchase. If you can’t pinpoint a date but suspect you need a new roof, call Freeland Painting to help determine the age and stage of your roof.
Be proactive: Call Freeland Painting
Be a proactive homeowner and examine your roof for early signs that it might need repairs or replacement. While some roof damage can be repaired when caught early, if you don’t act quickly, it will grow in scope—fast!
The experienced roofing professionals at Freeland Painting will provide you with an estimate on roof repair, but if your roof is aging and the repair estimate is more than 15-20% of the cost of a total roof repair, we will likely recommend a new roof.
Whether it’s age, storm damage, or shingle failure, when you suspect a roofing problem, call Freeland Painting at 678.679.3126. We’ll act fast, fix your problem, and make you happy—guaranteed!
