1. Missing Granules - Missing granules, when viewed from the ground, look like dark patches on light shingles or lighter patches if the shingles are black or dark. You will also see large amounts of granules in the gutters when you clean them.
The loss of granules do not affect the waterproofing of the roof, so if they are missing you won’t necessarily get leaks. But the granules protect the asphalt in the shingle from being damaged by the UV rays of the sun. So once they go, the shingles will wear out faster.
2. Curling Shingles - Curling Is the result of the asphalt in the shingles drying and shrinking over time. They become brittle as a result. In high winds, they will begin to get blown off. There is no repair for this other than replacing the tiles affected or, if widespread on your roof, time to replace the roof..
3. Lots of Moss - Moss growth on shingles doesn’t necessarily mean that shingles are old or worn out, particularly if it is only in one area. Often the affected shingles can be simply cleaned to remove the moss.
However, if the growth is widespread abundant and been there a while, the shingles become damaged. The moss will also get under them and start to lift them up. This hurts the ability of your roof to drain and will lead to leaks.
If moss is taken care of early, then it won’t affect the roof. But if it is left to grow unchecked it will damage and prematurely shorten the life of a roof..
4. Shingles Blown Off the Roof - If this is happening, it means that the shingles have dried, curled, and cracked. Obviously, if the shingles are in your yard then they aren’t on your roof! So when you start to see this it is time to get that roof replaced.
5. Age of Roof - This is an important factor to consider when deciding if you need a simple repair or a full roof replacement. It is an unfortunate fact that the older styles of asphalt shingles do not last as long as their warranties would indicate.
In our experience, most old-style asphalt roofs start to fail after 14 years. If your roof is between 18 – 20 years of age then you have attained a good amount of life out of it. It is probably time to replace it.
However, if your roof is 20 years old but shows no other signs of wear and tear, then good! Keep going and see how much life you can get out of it!