Your home’s roof is a shield that protects your family, possessions, and investment. Over time, even the most well-built, high-quality roofs wear down thanks to exposure to weather, temperature changes, and aging materials. Because a new roof is a significant investment, postponing replacement and trying to get a few extra years out of the old one can be tempting.
However, delaying roof replacement can lead to many problems that affect your home’s structural integrity and your comfort and safety. Waiting too long to replace your roof can even cost you more than if you’d just put in the new roof without postponing. We will show you some ways that postponing roof replacement is risky and can lead to more headaches and wallet squeezes down the road.
Small Leak; Big Problems
One of the most immediate dangers of waiting to replace your roof is the potential for water damage. Even a tiny leak can become a huge problem. A small crack, tear, or opening can let water seep into your structure. Your attic, walls, insulation, and roof support structures are not made to get wet. Soaked drywall must be torn out, replaced, and repainted. Rotten floorboards or wall studs have to go. This work is an enormous undertaking and an even more enormous mess.
Water damage can even spread to your belongings. When that happens, you’ll need expensive remediation or replacement.
In addition to structural damage, you may have to deal with a health crisis caused by mold and mildew. That can mean allergies, respiratory problems, and other long-term health consequences for you, your family, and your pets.
All this can come from a hole smaller than the size of a nickel. You can prevent water infiltration and the resulting damage, expensive repairs, and health threats by addressing roof issues early and replacing your roof when necessary.
Pest Invasion
Millions of people screamed in delight when The Beatles started the British Invasion in rock ‘n roll music. If actual beetles and other insects invade your home, your screams will have a much different meaning. Gaps, holes, cracks, and loose shingles create easy access for insects, birds, and rodents. Once they’ve made their way inside, these pests can damage your home’s insulation, electrical wiring, and support structures.
Droppings from these pests also carry diseases. Bat droppings can carry histoplasmosis, which can lead to serious health problems, blindness, and even death. Mice can bring in a long list of severe diseases, including leptospirosis, hantavirus, and salmonella.
A layer of pests’ dropping adds a massive layer of stress for homeowners. You can help prevent this problem by ensuring your roof is sound. It’s time to replace it when it no longer keeps out pests. Keep out unwanted critters by ensuring your roof is in good condition.
Safety First
Diseases and mold are not the only safety threats from an aging roof. As your roof materials degrade over time, they are more susceptible to sagging and collapsing. This issue is especially problematic during heavy storms and snow accumulation.
A roof collapse creates a massive mess. Your home will likely be uninhabitable for weeks or months. Your possessions will be exposed to the elements and the mess from the collapse. Worse than the stress, mess, and expense of that is the danger to your family if they are home when the roof caves in. You can avoid these aging-roof dangers by replacing your roof in a timely manner rather than postponing to get a bit more time out of a failing roof.
Save Your Energy
Your roof is what keeps in the air you pay to heat in the winter. In the summer, the roof keeps out the beating sun. As your roof ages, it becomes less efficient at regulating your home’s temperature. That means you spend more money on energy to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. A modern, energy-efficient roof made with the latest advances in roofing can improve your insulation and reduce your energy costs.
Costs Lost
Money considerations are what usually cause homeowners to consider postponing a roof replacement. You may feel you can save money by waiting and getting a few more years out of the old roof. However, this choice often costs more, not less. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to have damage to your home. Then, you have to pay to repair the damage, and you still need to buy a new roof.
Waiting can mean that it is a much more expensive undertaking when you finally call a roofing company about a replacement. If the delay has led to issues with the support structures for the roof, you will need costly, time-consuming repairs to the underlying structures instead of a simple roof replacement.
Delaying for financial reasons can be a decision that costs you more in the long run. If you need a new roof and can’t come up with the entire cost up-front, look for a roofing company with financing. That can help you get the roof you need when you need it. Don’t let a lack of available funds prevent you from replacing your roof when necessary.
Postponing roof replacement is a gamble that rarely pays off well. The choice to wait can have serious consequences. From mice messes to wallet woes, living with a roof that isn’t sound makes your life messy, expensive, and even dangerous. Being proactive and replacing your roof when it shows signs that it’s past its prime can protect your home, health, family, and finances.
Infographic
Delaying the replacement of your roof can cost you more than if you had replaced it right away. This infographic highlights the risks of postponing a roof replacement and how it can lead to more problems and financial strain.
