How to Know When Your Porch Needs a New Roof
It can be pretty easy to take your porch for granted, especially if you walk through the front door every day. It ends up blending in with the rest of the home. But your porch is one of the first parts of your home that guests will encounter when they visit. When selling a home, the porch is a major factor in curb appeal. Additionally, a porch can also be an indicator of what else is happening to your roof and even your foundation.
If part of the porch’s roof is rotting, damaged, and falling apart, it’s likely an indicator that another part of the roof is in similar condition.This is why it’s crucial to know if and when your porch’s roof is in need of replacement. Let’s dive in!
Age
Generally speaking, a roof that has been installed and maintained properly should last around 30 years. However, a roof over a porch usually lasts less time than that. This is because the roof over the rest of the home is only exposed to the elements on the outside. Often the roof over a porch will get to experience weather on the underside as well, at least more often than the rest of the roof will. This means that you will probably need to replace your porch roof before the rest of the house’s roof. A porch roof will likely last about 20-25 years.
Missing/Damaged Shingles
Missing or damaged shingles are an obvious indicator that your roof needs to be repaired or replaced altogether. Take a look at your roof. Are the shingles curled up? Are some of them ripped, obviously damaged, or missing? When you inspect your gutters, are there small pieces of damaged shingles in them? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your porch’s roof may need to be replaced. Even a single missing shingle can lead to a roof leak, especially if the missing shingle is over an unprotected seam. The more shingles that are missing in a group (eg. five shingles missing in a row vs. one shingle missing), the more inevitable a roof leak is.
Leaks
If your porch roof is actively leaking, this is an immediate sign that damage has been done. It’s important to prevent and stop leaks as quickly as possible, as they can lead to further damage. Unaddressed leaks can lead to mold, wood rot, and structural damage that puts your home and your family at risk. An unnoticed leak can cause irreparable deterioration to more than just the roof - it can even leak down into the foundation and cause issues there as well. Leaks in any portion of the roof require immediate attention and it’s always best to have a professional inspect the rest of the roof as well as the damaged area.
Bulges, Dips, and Stains
Bulges, dips, and stains are symptoms of leaks. Even if you don’t see water leaking out of a part of the roof, you may notice that it bulges in places, or the top of the roof has dips that hold water for a short period after it rains. These are signs that damage has happened, and the issue needs to be resolved as quickly as possible.
Rotting
Up until now, you may have been thinking “Well, I can repair a few shingles or a minor leak. I don’t need to replace the whole roof over my porch!” And you’re right. But knowing when you need to repair vs. replace is an important distinction. Depending on the severity of the issues listed above, a repair may work. Wood rot is a whole different story. You may not see it, but soft, rotting wood can be extremely dangerous, and puts your whole porch’s structural integrity at risk. Rotting also spreads. It is difficult to stop once it starts, and your whole roof, wood beams, and support columns may need to be replaced as well. Replacing any parts of the roof or other structures with wood rot as quickly as possible is crucial to saving your home.
We’re Here to Help
After reading this, are you still unsure if you need to replace your porch’s roof? Call us today, and we’ll be happy to help. We can give you more information over the phone, or we can come onsite to inspect your roof. Roof inspections and consultations are always free!
-New Look Roof Team
For any questions or comments, please feel free to email us at jwest@newlookroofs.com, we hope you have a great day and thanks for reading!
- Julian