Learn how to know when to replace the roof on your rental property from Texas Landsource. Roofs are critical and indispensable parts of any building. There are several good reasons for that. Let’s go to remember them: Whether you’re looking to buy land for sale in East Texas or if you’re buying or selling a Texas home, Landsource is here for you with professional real estate information.
- This system keeps out of your house wind, rain, and snow.
- It protects the house’s structural integrity
- Your roof insulates your home from the cold
- Also, it serves as a building’s outside covering, which helps to save energy
Frequently, renters inquire about the best time to replace a roof on their rental property. So, we should consider some factors that influence your roof’s lifespan. Among these factors are:
- The roof’s life expectancy
Depending on the material, a roof can endure anywhere from fifteen to one hundred years. The lifespan of asphalt roofs –which is the most common type of roof in the United States- is between 15 and 30 years. Meanwhile, wood roofs are over 30 years old, clay roofs are over 50 years old, metallic roofs can last 70 years or more, and slate tile roofs may reach more than 100 years.
- Quality of installation
The quality of its installation will determine the lifespan of a roof. A low-quality roof can’t resist harsh weather conditions. Indeed, heavy snow, storms, high winds, and intense temperature changes can wear out quickly any poorly installed roof. As a result of shoddy roof installation, you will soon require a new roof.
- Roof maintenance
The condition of your rental property’s roof is an essential aspect in determining whether it is time to replace it. Conducting periodical maintenance activities on your roof will help it to last longer. Thus, inspect your roof frequently, because you will see the roof damage signals inside your home. When this happens, the situation has progressed to a more serious level.
You can prevent minor roofing problems from becoming major ones by paying attention to your roof. So, you should make repairs as soon as issues arise.
On the other hand, poor roof maintenance will lead to an earlier replacement of your roof. In this sense, Bighorn Property Management affirms that neglecting your roof might lead to degrading it. This decaying process can scale to the point that the building is no longer habitable for tenants.
Here, are a few things to look out for when it comes to the roof of your rental home.
- Bowing or sagging of the roof
When roofs sag, they take on the form of a saddle. If the damage is extremely serious, you can see this effect from inside the building.
These are the reasons why roofs sag:
- When the roof deck collapses
- Roofing materials, wind, or snow can cause a roof to give away
- When the house foundation fails
Sagging roofs demands costly structural repairs. To avoid more damage, we strongly recommend you replace a sagging roof quickly.
- Reoccurring or persistent roof leaks
Even if your roof is dripping, it does not necessarily mean that you should replace it. Yet, if your roof continues to leak despite several repairs, you should think about a complete roof replacement. Therefore, if your rental property’s roof leaks frequently, it is time to call the experts.
For example, these roofing professionals will look for stains on the walls, pools of water on the roof, and other evidence of water infiltration. These signs will help to determine the source and degree of roof damage. Besides, a thorough evaluation will tell you if your roof needs a replacement, a partial replacement, or only repairs.
- Buckling or curling shingles
The roof has to withstand severe weather conditions, including extreme temperatures changes. Therefore, the roof shingles’ structure continuously expands and contracts. This process makes them buckle or curl.
Once roof shingles present this type of damage, they make your home vulnerable to water filtration.
Usually, all the shingles will not buckle simultaneously. In this scenario, you should only replace the damaged ones. But, when a significant number of shingles are buckling at the same time, a total roof replacement is necessary. In this case, replacing merely those shingles in the worst condition is not a good idea.
- Damaged flashing
Water-resistant materials protect roof valleys and joints from water penetration. In the roofing industry, these water-resistant materials receive the name of flashing. Thus, roofing flashing serves to prevent water damage to the roof and your home structure.
Like with other roofing materials, flashing deteriorates with time. It becomes brittle, broken, and eventually, it peels away, leaving breaches through which rainwater filters.
Hence, roof leaks may be a direct result of damaged flashing, particularly when it happens around vents, chimneys, and skylights. So, because of the rapid degradation of the roof´s interior components, this issue demands immediate roof repairs and replacement.
- Rooftop moss growths
The roof may get covered in moss, algae, and mildew, causing roof damage as a result.
Algae eat up the shingles. Thus, the significant presence of moss and mildew shows that the roof has suffered water damage for a long time. Besides, your rental property may need a new roof if the current one is covered with moss, algae, or mildew. Likewise, the significant growth of these elements implies substantial water damage.
The bottom line
Are you deciding whether to replace your rental property’s roof? Consider that the roofing materials’ lifespan and the existence of symptoms like those mentioned above will determine your decision.
Please, do not wait until the end of the life of your roofing material before starting planning a replacement. Replace your roof when it is nearing the end of its useful life or when evident signs that it needs replacement appear.
Need more information on buying or selling a home in Texas? Reach out to Texas Landsource for all of your home buying or land for sale in East Texas needs today! Use of of our vetted Texas contractors like Peak Perfection Contracting in Marshall, or Tyler Texas.